AN : i only able to Write one chapters today.. sorry guys, but this week i tried to not break
Sunday, 15 September 2001. Korea.
The YaDo broadcast returned from a short break with the arena already roaring.
On the large stage, the scoreboard showed the result everyone had been waiting for.
AKAI KUMA 2 — 2 SAMSUNG FABULOUS
The best-of-five series had reached its final game.
For many international viewers, Samsung Fabulous had entered the match as the clear favourite. They were one of Korea's strongest DoTA teams, backed by a serious training system, strong coaching, and several players already feared throughout Asia. AKAI KUMA, meanwhile, was still seen as Japan's hopeful underdog. They had improved greatly in recent months, but most analysts believed they would eventually collapse once the Korean team increased the pressure.
Instead, AKAI KUMA had pushed them into a fifth game.
Inside the player booth, Rikiya adjusted his headset and looked toward his teammates. As captain and semi-support, he was the calmest person in the room, though even he could feel his heartbeat growing heavier. "Last game," he said. "No rushing. No trying to become a hero alone. We read them together."
Keisuke leaned forward in his chair with burning eyes. He had selected Anti-Mage, Magina, as AKAI KUMA's carry. "I know. Just give me time and I'll cut all of them down."
Iwataro, playing Clockwerk in the offlane, glanced at him lazily. "You say that every game. Please farm before becoming a legend."
Keisuke turned toward him. "I know how to farm."
"You also know how to die while farming."
"That happened once."
"Three times."
Koichi sat beside them with Crystal Maiden selected. His shoulders were slightly tense, and even after months of training, he still became visibly nervous whenever the crowd outside grew too loud. "P-Please don't argue before the match starts…"
Tomoyasu, who had chosen Raijin Thunderkeg for the mid lane, remained focused on the draft screen. He spoke without turning. "They're listening."
Everyone became quieter.
Rikiya nodded. "Tomoyasu is right. Save the noise for after we win."
Iwataro leaned back slightly. "That means Keisuke will be silent forever."
Keisuke looked ready to answer, but the loading screen appeared before he could.
Across the stage, Samsung Fabulous completed their own draft.
Their mid player, MoonSeer, had selected Invoker. He was widely considered one of Korea's strongest mid-laners, famous for impossible spell combinations and his ability to control team fights before the enemy understood what was happening.
Their carry, IronWolf, selected Sven.
The offlaner, BackStone, selected Bristleback.
Their first support, DeepFang, chose Slardar.
And their second support, WhitePriest, selected Chen.
WhitePriest was another top-tier player, respected for his jungle control, neutral-creep stacking, and ability to transform small map advantages into suffocating economic leads. His Chen was so feared that several teams simply banned the hero whenever they faced Samsung Fabulous.
The Korean casters immediately focused on the matchup.
"Samsung Fabulous have secured both MoonSeer's Invoker and WhitePriest's Chen. That alone gives them enormous control over the centre of the map. Chen can stack the jungle, rotate early, and support Invoker's movement, while Sven scales into a terrifying late-game carry."
The second caster nodded. "But AKAI KUMA clearly prepared for it. Look at Iwataro's Clockwerk. Rocket Flare can constantly check Chen's jungle, interrupt stacks, and reveal Samsung's rotations. If he uses it properly, WhitePriest may never have the quiet early game he wants."
Back at the Renkonan household, Zaboru sat slightly forward on the couch but said nothing. Ayumi remained beside him with Arumi on her lap, while Zenshin watched the screen more carefully than he pretended to.
The final match began.
Tomoyasu's Raijin Thunderkeg moved toward mid, facing MoonSeer's Invoker. Keisuke's Anti-Mage took the safe lane with Koichi's Crystal Maiden and Rikiya's Tidehunter supporting him. Iwataro's Clockwerk moved alone toward the offlane.
From the first minute, Samsung Fabulous played with frightening precision.
MoonSeer controlled the centre lane confidently, switching Invoker's orbs smoothly and using Cold Snap to punish Tomoyasu whenever Raijin stepped too close. DeepFang's Slardar moved between the river and side lanes, applying constant pressure, while WhitePriest's Chen immediately began gathering neutral creeps and preparing jungle stacks for Sven.
IronWolf's Sven farmed aggressively.
Unlike Keisuke's old Sven from months ago, IronWolf did not simply wait for gold. He pushed the lane when it benefited him, pulled jungle creeps when needed, and moved toward potential fights whenever Chen and Slardar created an opening.
The difference between Samsung's old reputation and the reality on screen was terrifying.
They were not five strong players operating beside one another.
They were one system.
At six minutes, WhitePriest gathered several neutral creeps near the lower jungle and began preparing another large stack. If completed, Sven would gain a massive gold and experience advantage.
But before Chen could pull the next camp, a Rocket Flare crossed the entire map.
The missile struck the jungle camp and disrupted the timing.
Iwataro watched the explosion from the opposite lane and gave a lazy smile. "Not today."
WhitePriest adjusted immediately and tried another camp.
Thirty seconds later, another Rocket Flare arrived.
The Korean crowd reacted with a surprised murmur.
The caster raised his voice. "Again! UMIBOZU interrupts another Chen stack from across the map!"
The second caster laughed in disbelief. "He is not even near WhitePriest, but he is ruining the entire jungle rhythm. This is exactly why AKAI KUMA selected Clockwerk."
Inside AKAI KUMA's booth, Rikiya spoke calmly. "Good. Keep checking him."
Iwataro yawned slightly. "I'm working very hard."
Keisuke continued last-hitting. "You are pressing one button."
"One very important button."
Koichi quietly added, "T-The timing is actually difficult…"
Iwataro smiled. "Thank you, Koichi. Finally, someone respects art."
Tomoyasu said nothing, but a faint movement at the corner of his mouth showed that he was amused.
Samsung Fabulous did not panic.
At eight minutes, DeepFang's Slardar rotated toward mid. MoonSeer baited Tomoyasu by allowing Raijin Thunderkeg to move closer than usual. The moment Tomoyasu committed, Slardar emerged from the river and stunned him.
Invoker followed with Cold Snap and Sun Strike.
Tomoyasu reacted instantly.
Raijin used his ultimate to move through the battlefield, escaping the first control spell and reappearing near the side of the lane. The Sun Strike landed where he had been only a moment earlier.
The crowd erupted.
MoonSeer continued chasing, but Tomoyasu turned back unexpectedly. Raijin zipped across the lane again, dealing damage and pulling Invoker toward him with Electric Vortex. Koichi's Crystal Maiden had already moved from the safe lane and appeared from the upper river.
She used Frostbite.
Invoker stopped moving.
Tomoyasu followed with another burst, and Koichi finished the kill with Crystal Nova.
First Blood — AKAI KUMA.
For a moment, Koichi stared at the screen as if he could not believe he had secured the kill.
Keisuke shouted through the headset, "Koichi!"
Koichi flinched. "S-Sorry!"
Rikiya immediately replied, "Why are you apologising? Good rotation."
Koichi blinked, then gave a small, embarrassed nod even though nobody could see it properly. "R-Right."
Tomoyasu simply said, "Good."
That single word meant more coming from him than a full speech from anyone else.
Samsung Fabulous responded almost immediately.
DeepFang's Slardar rotated toward the safe lane and stunned Keisuke's Anti-Mage before he could Blink away. WhitePriest arrived with Chen's controlled creeps, surrounding Magina while IronWolf activated God's Strength.
Keisuke tried to escape, but Slardar's Amplify Damage and Chen's body blocking left him nowhere to go.
Anti-Mage fell.
Keisuke slammed his palm lightly against the desk. "Damn it."
Iwataro glanced at the minimap. "Future world champion has temporarily returned to base."
"Shut up and focus."
"I am focused."
"You are smiling."
"Both can happen."
Rikiya's voice remained controlled. "Enough. They used three heroes for that kill. Tomoyasu, pressure mid. Iwataro, keep Chen poor. Koichi, stay with Keisuke until Slardar shows again."
The team immediately followed his call.
This was where AKAI KUMA looked different from the team Zaboru had met months earlier.
Before, every player would have reacted separately. Keisuke might have become angry and forced another fight. Koichi might have hesitated between lanes. Iwataro might have stayed comfortable in the offlane. Tomoyasu might have continued farming mid without considering the wider map.
Now, the team responded together.
Tomoyasu pushed Invoker away from mid and damaged the tower. Iwataro fired another Rocket Flare into Chen's jungle, revealing WhitePriest's movement. Rikiya's Tidehunter moved deeper into the river and placed vision near Samsung's entrances, while Koichi remained near Anti-Mage to protect Keisuke's recovery.
They did not simply react to the kill.
They changed the shape of the map around it.
The game remained close for the next ten minutes.
Samsung Fabulous maintained a small gold advantage through superior lane control and Chen's jungle efficiency, but Iwataro's constant Rocket Flares prevented that advantage from becoming overwhelming. Every time WhitePriest attempted to stack multiple camps, Clockwerk disrupted at least one. Sometimes the Rocket Flare killed the weakest creeps. Sometimes it ruined the pull timing. Sometimes it merely revealed the location and allowed AKAI KUMA to invade.
The Korean analysts began praising Iwataro repeatedly.
"UMIBOZU's Clockwerk is quietly becoming one of the most important heroes in this game. His score is not impressive, but look at what he is doing. He is destroying Chen's rhythm, revealing Sven's farming pattern, and forcing Samsung Fabulous to change their jungle routes."
Iwataro heard none of the broadcast, but his teammates understood his value.
Keisuke glanced at the minimap and said, "Rocket upper jungle."
"I know."
"Then fire it."
"I was waiting for them to feel safe."
"You can't know how they feel."
Iwataro launched the Rocket Flare.
It struck WhitePriest's Chen and revealed Sven farming a hidden stack.
Iwataro smiled. "They felt safe."
Keisuke clicked his tongue. "Lucky."
"Experience."
"Lazy experience."
Rikiya interrupted before the argument continued. "We know Sven's position. Push bottom and force a response."
The Japanese team moved immediately.
Tomoyasu's Raijin cut the next creep wave and threatened the lower tower. Rikiya and Koichi moved through the river, while Iwataro used Hookshot to catch DeepFang's Slardar near the side path.
Clockwerk trapped Slardar inside Power Cogs.
Koichi followed with Frostbite, and Tomoyasu arrived with Ball Lightning.
DeepFang survived only because MoonSeer's Invoker landed a perfect Tornado from outside the screen, lifting three AKAI KUMA heroes into the air. The moment they landed, Invoker followed with EMP.
Raijin Thunderkeg lost most of his mana.
Samsung Fabulous counterattacked.
IronWolf's Sven teleported into the fight and activated God's Strength. He struck Koichi's Crystal Maiden twice and removed her almost instantly. Bristleback charged from the front, absorbing damage while Slardar stunned Rikiya's Tidehunter before he could use Ravage.
The Korean execution was flawless.
AKAI KUMA lost three players.
Samsung lost only Slardar.
The crowd erupted as the scoreboard shifted.
Samsung Fabulous now had control.
Inside the Japanese booth, Koichi looked down briefly. "S-Sorry. I was too close."
Rikiya shook his head. "Not only you. We grouped too tightly for Tornado and EMP."
Tomoyasu stared at the grey death screen. "I used too much mana before the fight."
Keisuke was still farming on the other side of the map. "Should I have joined?"
Rikiya thought for only a moment. "No. You would have arrived late and died. Keep farming. We need your items."
Keisuke nodded and returned to cutting through jungle camps.
This time, he did not complain about being left out of the fight.
He understood his role.
Samsung Fabulous used the victory to take two outer towers and invade AKAI KUMA's jungle. WhitePriest's Chen placed aggressive vision, while Sven and Bristleback controlled the entrances. MoonSeer's Invoker moved constantly between lanes, never allowing Tomoyasu to farm safely for long.
At twenty-seven minutes, the Korean team held a clear advantage.
IronWolf's Sven had Black King Bar and Blink Dagger. MoonSeer's Invoker had enough levels to use his full spell combinations. Bristleback had become difficult to kill, and Slardar's Amplify Damage made every physical hit dangerous.
But AKAI KUMA did not collapse.
Rikiya kept their communication simple. "Avoid full fight until Keisuke finishes Manta. Clear waves. Do not walk alone. Tomoyasu, pressure whichever lane Sven leaves."
Tomoyasu answered, "Okay."
Koichi quietly moved between the jungle entrances, placing defensive wards. He still looked nervous, but his hands were steady. Every ward was placed with purpose, protecting Keisuke's farming route and revealing Samsung's attempts to enter.
Iwataro continued launching Rocket Flares into suspicious areas.
One flare revealed Chen and Sven moving toward the ancient camp.
Another revealed Slardar waiting behind a tower.
The third landed directly on MoonSeer's Invoker as he attempted to hide near the river.
The caster laughed. "UMIBOZU refuses to let Samsung Fabulous disappear from the map. Every time they try to create darkness, another rocket lands on them."
The second caster nodded. "This is not random scouting anymore. AKAI KUMA are reading Samsung's flow. They know where Chen wants to move, where Sven wants to farm, and where Slardar wants to prepare an initiation."
At thirty-one minutes, Samsung attempted another smoke-like hidden rotation toward Keisuke's lane.
Before they reached him, Iwataro's Rocket Flare crossed the map and landed nearby.
It did not directly reveal all five heroes, but the lack of enemy heroes on the other lanes was enough.
Rikiya spoke immediately. "Keisuke, leave."
Anti-Mage Blinked away only seconds before Slardar and Sven entered the jungle.
Keisuke exhaled. "That was close."
Iwataro leaned back slightly. "You're welcome."
"I didn't thank you."
"You were about to."
"I wasn't."
Koichi smiled quietly at their argument.
Even in the deciding game of an international tournament, their personalities had not disappeared. Keisuke remained hot-blooded and proud. Iwataro still sounded lazy even while reading the map brilliantly. Koichi remained shy, but his rotations and support work had become dependable. Tomoyasu spoke rarely, yet every word was useful. Rikiya remained the centre holding all of them together.
The training had not turned them into machines.
It had turned their friendship into structure.
At thirty-five minutes, AKAI KUMA finally found a chance.
MoonSeer's Invoker moved toward the upper lane alone to clear a wave. Iwataro had already predicted it. Clockwerk hid inside the trees and waited.
The moment Invoker stepped forward, Iwataro fired Hookshot.
Clockwerk crashed into him and activated Power Cogs.
MoonSeer responded immediately with Ghost Walk, but Koichi had already placed a sentry nearby. Crystal Maiden used Frostbite, revealing and locking him in place.
Tomoyasu arrived.
Raijin Thunderkeg zipped into the cogs, pulled Invoker with Electric Vortex, and unleashed his full burst before MoonSeer could escape.
Invoker fell.
The Japanese crowd inside the arena exploded.
Tomoyasu remained expressionless.
Iwataro looked at him. "You could look slightly happy."
Tomoyasu answered, "I am."
Keisuke laughed. "That's his happy face."
AKAI KUMA used the kill to take an outer tower and reclaim part of their jungle, but Samsung Fabulous remained ahead. Sven's farm was still enormous, and Bristleback had become nearly impossible for the Japanese team to kill quickly.
The next team fight proved it.
Near the middle lane, DeepFang's Slardar Blinked forward and stunned Koichi before the team could spread out. MoonSeer followed with Tornado and Chaos Meteor. Rikiya managed to use Ravage, catching four Korean heroes, but Sven activated Black King Bar before the stun reached him.
IronWolf entered the fight under God's Strength.
Crystal Maiden fell first.
Clockwerk tried to isolate Chen, but Bristleback forced him away.
Tomoyasu used Ball Lightning repeatedly to avoid Sven's attacks, burning through most of his mana. Keisuke's Anti-Mage arrived from the side and used Mana Void on Invoker, nearly killing MoonSeer, but Chen's Hand of God restored enough health for him to survive.
The battle ended with three AKAI KUMA players dead.
Samsung Fabulous lost only Slardar.
The gold difference grew again.
At forty-two minutes, Korea controlled most of the map. Their vision covered the river, their lanes were pushed forward, and Sven now carried enough damage to destroy almost anyone in a few hits. The Korean commentators began speaking more confidently about Samsung's victory.
Still, AKAI KUMA remained disciplined.
No one blamed Koichi for dying first.
Keisuke did not force a desperate fight.
Iwataro continued checking the map.
Tomoyasu preserved his mana more carefully.
Rikiya kept speaking in the same steady voice. "We are behind, not finished. They still need to enter our base."
A few minutes later, Samsung Fabulous disappeared from every visible lane.
The map became quiet.
Too quiet.
Iwataro fired a Rocket Flare toward the upper jungle.
Nothing.
He fired another toward the lower river.
Still nothing.
Tomoyasu watched the lanes and spoke first. "Roshan."
Rikiya immediately moved the camera toward the pit. Their wards had been destroyed earlier, leaving the area dark, but the timing made sense. Samsung had the damage, control, and confidence to take Roshan quickly.
Iwataro launched another Rocket Flare.
The missile travelled across the map and landed inside the Roshan pit.
For a brief moment, the entire Korean team appeared.
Sven was attacking Roshan under God's Strength. Bristleback stood near the front. Chen's creeps surrounded the pit. Slardar and Invoker waited near the entrance, ready to punish anyone who approached.
Roshan's health was already dropping rapidly.
The arena erupted as both teams saw the same information.
Rikiya leaned closer to his monitor. "They're committed."
Koichi swallowed nervously. "D-Do we contest?"
Keisuke's eyes burned as Anti-Mage moved out from the base. "We have to."
Iwataro studied the pit and surrounding cliffs. His lazy expression disappeared completely. "Front entrance is impossible. Slardar and Invoker are waiting."
Tomoyasu's gaze shifted between his mana pool, Roshan's health, and Samsung's formation. "I can enter from behind."
Rikiya remained silent for several seconds.
Samsung Fabulous were winning.
They had better vision, stronger team-fight positioning, and enough damage to kill Roshan before AKAI KUMA could arrive normally.
But AKAI KUMA no longer played normally.
Rikiya's eyes sharpened.
"I have an idea," he said then grinned "It's Do or nothing guys!"
The five Japanese players leaned toward their screens as Roshan's health continued falling.
To be continued.
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