Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: Elite Rank Salamence

Key Plot Points and Events

• Naruto and Kushina arrive at the Uchiha household for dinner. Naruto notices Minato watching him, and the two exchange awkward but affectionate smiles, both unsure how to interact as father and son.
• Kushina quietly takes charge of the situation, sending Minato to speak with Fugaku while the women prepare dinner.
• Mikoto, Kushina, and Izumi cook together. Izumi chooses to help rather than play with the children, revealing her considerate and responsible nature.
• After dinner, Kushina and Minato leave despite Mikoto’s offer to let them stay. Kushina’s meaningful look implies that she and Minato have a private reason for leaving.
• Mikoto insists that Izumi remain overnight, and Izumi eventually agrees.
• Takuya returns to his study and uses his gaming helmet to enter a new anime world after nearly six months away. He draws a Pokémon-themed world.
• After inheriting the body’s memories, Takuya learns that its former owner was an orphan who spent years saving for a Poké Ball, only to be killed by a wild Nidoran before catching a Pokémon.
• The system repairs Takuya’s body. Seeking safety, he climbs a tree and purchases a starter gift pack.
• The gift pack produces an exceptionally powerful Elite Rank Salamence, possibly identical to Lance’s Salamence from the Pokémon world.
• Takuya summons Salamence and discovers that it is completely loyal to him. The Pokémon gently allows him to climb onto its head, immediately giving Takuya confidence and security.
• Takuya briefly considers hunting the Nidoran responsible for the previous owner’s death, but decides to leave the forest instead. Just as he prepares to depart, the system issues a new mission, ending the chapter on a cliffhanger.

Character Development

• Naruto and Minato: Their mutual smiles show an immediate emotional connection, but both are awkward and inexperienced in their new father-son relationship. Their hesitation suggests that their bond will need to develop gradually.
• Kushina: She acts as the socially confident and practical mediator, recognizing Minato and Naruto’s awkwardness and smoothly guiding the evening without embarrassing them.
• Izumi: She is portrayed as polite, helpful, and mature, willingly assisting in the kitchen and accepting Mikoto’s hospitality.
• Takuya: He demonstrates caution by taking refuge in a tree, strategic thinking by buying the starter pack, and emotional sympathy for the body’s former owner. His fear and uncertainty disappear once he receives Salamence, giving him a strong sense of freedom and power.

Significant Themes

• Family and emotional awkwardness: Naruto and Minato both want a relationship but do not know how to begin one.
• Hospitality and domestic bonds: The shared meal and cooperation between the women strengthen the friendly ties between the Uzumaki, Namikaze, and Uchiha families.
• Second chances and altered fate: Takuya inherits the life of someone doomed to die and gains the opportunity to overcome that fate.
• Power and security: Salamence represents a dramatic reversal of Takuya’s vulnerable circumstances, transforming him from a defenseless newcomer into someone with overwhelming protection.
• Curiosity and adventure: The new Pokémon world offers Takuya freedom to explore, while the system’s mission promises further challenges.

Important Character Interactions

• Naruto and Minato silently smile at one another, forming the beginnings of a father-son bond.
• Kushina manages their awkward encounter and later communicates privately with Mikoto through a meaningful glance.
• Kushina, Mikoto, and Izumi cooperate while preparing dinner.
• Mikoto shows hospitality by inviting Minato and Kushina to stay and later insisting that Izumi spend the night.
• Takuya bonds immediately with Salamence, whose affectionate behavior confirms its absolute loyalty.

Chapter Summary: Celadon City Gym

Key Plot Points and Events

• Takuya receives a system mission requiring him to catch an “initial Pokémon” within a time limit. Although he already owns an Elite Rank Salamence, the system does not recognize it as an initial Pokémon.
• He searches the forest while riding Salamence but initially finds nothing, partly because Salamence’s intimidating presence scares Pokémon away and the darkness limits visibility.
• Takuya eventually discovers a group of Pikachu beneath a cliff. He persuades them with the promise of delicious food, and one gluttonous Pikachu willingly enters his Poké Ball.
• After successfully catching the Pikachu, Takuya claims the mission reward of 100 Anime Points.
• He flies to a nearby town, spends the last of his remaining money on a night at an inn, and learns that the nearest Pokémon Gym is in Celadon City.
• Takuya travels to Celadon City on Salamence. Upon entering the Gym, the system issues another mission: defeat the Gym Leader and obtain the Rainbow Badge for another 100 Anime Points.
• At the Gym, Takuya encounters a seemingly sleepy little girl behind the reception counter. He assumes she is an assistant or the Gym Leader’s daughter, but she reveals that she is actually Erika, the Gym Leader.
• Erika leads Takuya to the spacious battle arena and explains that defeating her will earn him the Rainbow Badge. Before beginning, she says she must ask him several questions.

Character Developments

• Takuya: Demonstrates resourcefulness and adaptability by completing the initial-Pokémon mission despite already possessing a powerful Salamence. He uses food rather than force to capture Pikachu and remains cautious about revealing Salamence in populated areas. His planning also shows that he understands he is not yet strong enough to pursue Legendary Pokémon.
• Salamence: Acts as Takuya’s transportation and protector. Its immense strength and intimidating aura make ordinary Pokémon wary, but it is obedient, controlled, and capable of restraining the Pikachu group if necessary.
• Pikachu: One Pikachu separates itself from the group after being tempted by food and willingly joins Takuya.
• Erika: Is introduced as a youthful, relaxed, and somewhat playful Gym Leader. Her appearance initially causes Takuya to underestimate or misunderstand her role, but she confidently asserts her authority.

Significant Themes

• Growth and progression: Takuya recognizes that owning one powerful Pokémon is not enough and sets long-term goals, including obtaining additional high-level Pokémon before attempting to capture Legendaries.
• Resourcefulness over brute force: Rather than battling the Pikachu, Takuya wins one over through persuasion and an appealing reward.
• Power and perception: Salamence’s strength affects how other Pokémon behave, while Erika’s young appearance contrasts with her position and likely ability.
• System-driven adventure: Missions and Anime Points provide structure to Takuya’s journey, encouraging him to explore, capture Pokémon, and challenge Gyms.
• Practical survival: Takuya must manage money, avoid attracting attention, and travel within the limits of his current abilities.

Character Interactions

• Takuya directs Salamence to search for Pokémon and orders it to prevent the group from escaping.
• He speaks directly to the Pikachu, promising food in exchange for cooperation, which leads to a successful capture.
• Takuya interacts with a town resident to learn the Gym’s location, then politely thanks them.
• At the Celadon Gym, he wakes the apparently sleepy receptionist and asks to challenge the Gym.
• His misunderstanding with Erika creates a light comedic moment before she formally introduces herself and prepares to begin the Gym challenge.

Chapter Summary: “Admitting Defeat”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Takuya challenges Erika, the Celadon City Gym Leader, to a battle requiring him to defeat two of her Pokémon.
• Erika sends out a Grass-type Pokémon, while Takuya immediately summons Salamence.
• After recognizing that Salamence is at least Elite Level and vastly stronger than her Pokémon, Erika surrenders without fighting.
• Takuya receives the Rainbow Badge, completing another system mission and collecting his first Gym Badge.
• Erika asks about his progress. Takuya reveals that this is his first Badge, despite possessing an extraordinarily powerful Salamence.
• Erika provides Takuya with a magazine containing the locations of the other Kanto Gyms.
• Takuya leaves Celadon City, planning to collect all eight Badges and eventually participate in the Indigo Plateau Conference.
• Realizing he has almost no money, Takuya uses the System Shop to exchange Anime Points for currency.
• He buys a meal for himself and Pikachu, then purchases specialized Pokémon food for Salamence and Pikachu before departing. Because Salamence’s food is expensive, he exchanges additional Anime Points.

Character Developments

• Takuya demonstrates confidence and strategic awareness, understanding that Salamence’s overwhelming strength makes the battle essentially unwinnable for Erika.
• He becomes more focused on exploiting the system’s mission rewards, deciding to challenge the remaining Gyms for Anime Points and future missions.
• Takuya also shows practical responsibility by ensuring both Pikachu and Salamence are properly fed.
• Erika is shown as knowledgeable and perceptive. Although normally sleepy and absent-minded, she becomes alert during battles and quickly assesses Salamence’s power.
• Erika’s initial confidence collapses when confronted with Salamence, leading her to admit defeat rather than risk a pointless battle. She becomes curious about Takuya and impressed by his potential.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power and unavoidable defeat: The gap between Salamence and Erika’s Pokémon is so great that combat becomes unnecessary.
• Knowledge and judgment: Erika’s ability to recognize Salamence’s strength allows her to make a rational decision instead of fighting blindly.
• Progress and ambition: Takuya’s first Badge marks the beginning of his journey toward the Indigo Plateau Conference.
• Resource management: Takuya must balance his Anime Points between system rewards, money, food, and future goals.
• The contrast between appearance and ability: Takuya appears ordinary and inexperienced, yet possesses a Pokémon far beyond what Erika expects.

Character Interactions

• Takuya and Erika interact formally during the Gym challenge, but the battle ends almost immediately when Erika surrenders.
• Erika expresses curiosity about Takuya’s background and Badge collection, while Takuya remains vague and uninterested in explaining himself.
• Before leaving, Takuya returns to ask Erika for information about the other Gyms, prompting her to give him a regional Gym guide.
• Erika wishes him luck in qualifying for the Indigo Plateau Conference, confident that Salamence will help him obtain the remaining Badges.
• Takuya’s relationship with Pikachu is also highlighted through their shared meal, while his care for Salamence is shown through his effort to obtain suitable food.

Chapter Summary: “Framed”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Takuya remains 500 Anime Points in debt but is unconcerned, believing he can earn them back soon.
• Rather than fly on Salamence, he travels by train from Celadon City to Saffron City because the train is faster and avoids the discomfort of flying directly into strong winds.
• After arriving, Takuya consults Erika’s magazine for directions to the Saffron City Gym and asks a woman for help. She rudely refuses.
• Shortly afterward, a weasel-like Pokémon steals the woman’s handbag. She grabs Takuya and demands that he help retrieve it.
• When Takuya refuses, the woman accuses him of ordering his Pokémon to steal the bag as revenge for her refusing to give directions. She threatens him and attacks when he attempts to leave.
• Takuya kicks her away, sending her several meters across the ground.
• A male bystander intervenes, accusing Takuya of being wrong for striking a woman. When the man attacks, Takuya summons Pikachu and orders it to use Thundershock.
• Pikachu shocks the attacker until he collapses, frightening the gathered crowd. Takuya then leaves with Pikachu, warning the spectators through his intimidating behavior.

Character Developments

• Takuya: Displays increasing confidence, arrogance, and readiness to use force against anyone who challenges him. He is highly intolerant of disrespect and perceived injustice toward himself. His willingness to use Pikachu against a civilian also emphasizes his growing reliance on strength and intimidation.
• Pikachu: Acts obediently and efficiently in combat, immediately following Takuya’s harsh command. It serves as Takuya’s convenient and relatively inconspicuous first line of defense.
• The woman: Is portrayed as entitled, aggressive, and manipulative. Her initial rudeness escalates into falsely accusing Takuya and provoking a physical confrontation.
• The male bystander: Attempts to exploit the situation to attack Takuya under the guise of defending the woman, but loses his nerve once Takuya reveals he is a Pokémon Trainer.
• The crowd: Initially appears willing to judge or confront Takuya, but quickly becomes intimidated by his Pokémon and power.

Significant Themes

• Power and social status: The crowd treats Takuya differently once they realize he is a Trainer, highlighting how strength determines authority in this world.
• Entitlement and blame-shifting: The woman refuses responsibility for her own behavior and immediately frames Takuya for the theft.
• Justice versus intimidation: Rather than resolving the conflict peacefully or through authorities, Takuya imposes his own form of punishment through violence and Pokémon power.
• Moral detachment: Takuya’s thoughts reveal that he is increasingly comfortable with the idea of killing opponents or overthrowing authorities if they become obstacles.
• Adaptation to the Pokémon World: Takuya continues learning that this world operates by different rules than his former life, especially regarding the influence of powerful Trainers.

Character Interactions

• Takuya’s brief exchange with the woman quickly turns hostile because of her dismissive attitude and his refusal to tolerate it.
• Her attempt to command and physically restrain him leads Takuya to reject any obligation to help her.
• The confrontation escalates when she accuses him of theft and attacks him, prompting Takuya to retaliate physically.
• A bystander then challenges Takuya, creating another conflict that Takuya resolves through Pikachu rather than hand-to-hand combat.
• Takuya’s display of power silences the crowd and allows him to leave without further opposition.

Chapter Summary

Plot points and events

• After Takuya uses Pikachu to defeat a man who attacked him, the injured woman he had kicked pretends to remain unconscious out of fear.
• A young girl confronts Takuya, insisting that hitting people is wrong and demanding that he apologize.
• The woman exploits the girl’s sense of justice by falsely accusing Takuya of stealing her expensive bag and money, hoping to extort compensation.
• Takuya repeatedly orders the girl to leave, but she refuses and continues defending the woman.
• Frustrated, Takuya grabs the girl and punishes her physically. When her Squirtle tries to intervene, Pikachu stops it and quickly overwhelms it in battle.

Character developments

• Takuya is portrayed as intimidating, impatient, and increasingly aggressive. He views the girl’s interference as foolish and responds to her persistence with disproportionate violence.
• The young girl is naïve but bold, acting according to her belief that hurting others is wrong. She mistakes the woman’s dishonest accusations for a legitimate injustice.
• The woman is revealed to be manipulative and deceitful. She pretends to be injured and fabricates the value of her bag to profit from the situation, while hiding behind the girl’s intervention.
• Pikachu remains fiercely loyal to Takuya and demonstrates clear superiority over Squirtle.
• Squirtle is protective of its Trainer but is quickly intimidated and defeated by Pikachu.

Significant themes

• The chapter explores the contrast between genuine justice and self-serving manipulation.
• It emphasizes the danger of judging a situation based on incomplete information, as the girl believes the woman’s false story.
• Power imbalance is central: ordinary bystanders fear Takuya, while Pokémon Trainers possess overwhelming advantages.
• The scene also highlights Takuya’s lack of restraint and the moral ambiguity of his response to provocation.

Character interactions

• Takuya and the girl clash over whether his attack was justified, with her demanding an apology and him dismissing her as an annoyance.
• The woman encourages the girl’s confrontation by adding false accusations, attempting to turn her into an instrument for extortion.
• The girl’s Squirtle tries to protect her, but Pikachu intercepts it and establishes Takuya’s dominance.
• The bystanders remain passive and frightened, avoiding involvement as the conflict escalates.

Chapter Summary: “Apology”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Takuya continues spanking a young girl in the street after she refuses to apologize for causing trouble. Her resistance quickly turns into embarrassment, anger, and eventually tearful submission.
• After the girl admits she was wrong and promises to apologize, Takuya delivers several more blows before stopping. He lectures her about the dangers of behaving recklessly and relying on her Squirtle.
• The woman who had demanded compensation earlier disappears before Takuya can confront her. Takuya then leaves with Pikachu after Pikachu defeats Squirtle.
• Takuya rewards Pikachu with a feast and travels to the Saffron City Gym, where Salamence helps him win the Marsh Badge.
• He then boards a ship bound for Cinnabar Town, located on an island volcano. While aboard, he unexpectedly encounters the same girl and her mother.
• The girl identifies Takuya as the man who struck her and complains to her mother. Instead of seeking revenge, the mother forces her daughter to bow and apologizes to Takuya for failing to supervise her properly.
• The girl is shocked and upset that her mother does not defend her. Her mother insists that she stop crying and apologize.
• The chapter ends with the mother explaining that she had been nearby earlier and had used her Pidgeotto to search for her missing daughter. Pidgeotto had witnessed the incident before the girl herself arrived.

Character Developments

• Takuya: Remains domineering, self-righteous, and confident in his own judgment. He views his punishment of the girl as a justified lesson and believes he acted more kindly than a worse person might have. He also continues progressing as a Pokémon trainer, earning the Marsh Badge.
• The little girl: Loses her earlier arrogance and becomes frightened, embarrassed, and remorseful. Her meeting with her mother reveals that she expected protection, but instead must confront the consequences of her behavior.
• The mother: Is presented as calm, observant, and capable of distinguishing right from wrong. Rather than blindly defending her daughter, she acknowledges her own poor supervision and makes the girl apologize.
• Pikachu: Supports Takuya during the confrontation, defeats Squirtle, and remains affectionate and loyal toward Takuya.
• Squirtle: Is overpowered by Pikachu and forced to retreat.

Significant Themes

• Accountability and apology: The chapter centers on whether wrongdoing should be acknowledged and corrected, with the mother ultimately reinforcing the importance of apologizing.
• Parental responsibility: The mother accepts blame for failing to supervise her daughter and attempts to correct the girl’s behavior.
• Power and humiliation: Takuya’s public punishment demonstrates his physical and social dominance, while the girl’s embarrassment emphasizes the consequences of losing control in public.
• Self-righteousness: Takuya interprets his actions as moral instruction, even though his harsh treatment and confidence in his own righteousness make his judgment questionable.
• Trainer strength and progression: Takuya’s victories over Squirtle and at the Saffron Gym reinforce his growing authority and success as a Pokémon trainer.

Character Interactions

• Takuya and the girl clash over her refusal to apologize, ending with her submission and tears.
• Pikachu battles Squirtle while Takuya watches, then returns affectionately to his trainer.
• Takuya meets the girl’s mother aboard the ship; the mother surprises him by apologizing instead of confronting him.
• The mother disciplines her daughter and demands that she apologize, reversing the girl’s expectation that her parent will defend her.
• The mother’s account of Pidgeotto’s search establishes that she already knows much of what happened at the intersection.

Chapter Summary: Cinnabar Island

Key Plot Points and Events

• Pidgeotto witnessed the earlier misunderstanding involving Takuya and Xiao Xi, confirming to Xiao Xi’s mother that Takuya had acted in response to her daughter’s provocation rather than attacking her without cause.
• Xiao Xi’s mother apologized to Takuya on the ship. Takuya accepted the apology but warned that Xiao Xi should not make similar accusations or cause trouble again.
• After arriving at Cinnabar Island, Takuya avoided the bus to Cinnabar Town and instead summoned Salamence, flying there directly.
• He quickly located Cinnabar Gym and asked an elderly man for directions. The man turned out to be the father of the gym’s receptionist or leader.
• Takuya challenged the gym. The gym’s handsome leader used a powerful Pidgeotto, but Takuya sent out Salamence and won almost immediately.
• The gym leader surrendered and awarded Takuya the Gym Badge. Takuya then planned to spend the night in Cinnabar Town and leave the island by ship the following day.

Character Developments

• Takuya remains confident, decisive, and unwilling to tolerate unreasonable behavior. He handles Xiao Xi’s mother’s apology calmly but makes it clear that future misconduct will have consequences.
• His use of Salamence for transportation emphasizes both his resourcefulness and the considerable strength of his Pokémon team.
• Takuya’s overwhelming victory at Cinnabar Gym further establishes him as a trainer far above the gym leader’s level.
• Xiao Xi is revealed to be immature and prone to exaggeration. Although she initially resents Takuya, her mother’s anger forces her to stop crying and recognize that she is in trouble.
• Xiao Xi’s mother demonstrates fairness and good judgment. After learning the truth from Pidgeotto, she abandons her initial anger and sincerely apologizes.
• The gym leader begins the battle confidently but is visibly shocked by Salamence’s appearance and power. His quick surrender shows how completely Takuya outmatches him.

Significant Themes

• Truth versus misunderstanding: Pidgeotto’s eyewitness account exposes Xiao Xi’s distorted version of events and prevents an unjust confrontation.
• Parental responsibility and discipline: Xiao Xi’s mother accepts that her daughter behaved wrongly and promises to teach her better judgment.
• Power and confidence: Takuya’s calm attitude and Salamence’s overwhelming strength reinforce his growing reputation as an exceptional trainer.
• Efficiency and independence: Rather than following the crowd or relying on public transportation, Takuya chooses the fastest and most practical route to town.
• Consequences of impulsive behavior: Xiao Xi’s false accusation leads to embarrassment, reprimand, and an apology from both her and her mother.

Character Interactions

• Takuya and Xiao Xi’s mother: Their shipboard conversation resolves the earlier conflict. Her polite apology contrasts with Xiao Xi’s continued childishness, while Takuya responds firmly but reasonably.
• Takuya and Xiao Xi: They do not directly interact again, but Xiao Xi notices Takuya departing by Salamence and privately mocks him for supposedly walking to town.
• Takuya and the elderly man: Takuya asks for directions, initially struggling because of the man’s poor hearing. The encounter unexpectedly leads him directly to Cinnabar Gym.
• Takuya and the gym leader: Their battle is brief and one-sided. The leader’s Pidgeotto is no match for Salamence, and he concedes the Gym Badge.
• The mother and daughter: The mother’s stern response finally stops Xiao Xi’s tantrum and makes clear that she holds her daughter accountable.

Chapter Summary: “Fine, Then Let’s Eat First”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Takuya leaves the indoor battle arena and passes the mother and daughter from earlier without acknowledging them. His unexpectedly quick arrival at the Cinnabar Gym suggests he traveled there using his Salamence rather than the bus.
• Xiao Xi complains to her uncle, Yuuma, that Takuya spanked her after she provoked him. She exaggerates the incident and demands that Yuuma chase him down and punish him.
• Yuuma recognizes Takuya as the trainer who possesses an Elite Rank Salamence. Realizing that confronting him would be dangerous, he avoids the subject and takes Xiao Xi to see her grandparents.
• Xiao Xi repeats her complaint to her grandparents, former Cinnabar Gym Leaders. Her grandmother becomes furious and insists that Takuya apologize, while her grandfather agrees without fully hearing the explanation.
• Xiao Xi’s mother clarifies that Xiao Xi was the one who caused trouble and deserved the punishment. Yuuma also warns that Takuya’s Elite Rank Salamence makes retaliation unreasonable.
• The grandmother initially considers pursuing Takuya with her own Elite-level Pidgey, but loses confidence after learning the opponent’s strength. Yuuma persuades everyone to abandon the search and eat instead.
• Xiao Xi accepts this because she is hungry, though her grandmother still pretends they may look for Takuya afterward.
• Meanwhile, Takuya explores Cinnabar Island and its apparently extinct volcanic crater.
• The following day, he leaves the island by ship, summons Salamence outside the pier, and flies away, attracting astonished attention from the onlookers.

Character Developments

• Takuya remains calm, detached, and unconcerned with Xiao Xi’s complaints. His Elite Rank Salamence establishes him as an exceptionally powerful trainer.
• Xiao Xi is shown to be spoiled, impulsive, and manipulative. She exaggerates events and relies on her family’s indulgence, but her mother occasionally restrains her.
• Xiao Xi’s mother acts as the most reasonable family member, acknowledging that her daughter was at fault and opposing unnecessary conflict.
• Yuuma is protective of Xiao Xi but practical enough to recognize that challenging Takuya would be foolish. He defuses the situation by redirecting the family toward food.
• The grandmother is fiercely protective and initially overconfident because of her past as a Gym Leader, but Takuya’s strength quickly intimidates her.
• The grandfather is loving but hard of hearing, causing him to misunderstand the situation and support Xiao Xi’s version of events.

Significant Themes

• Power and intimidation: Takuya’s Elite Rank Salamence makes even experienced former Gym Leaders reconsider confronting him.
• Family indulgence versus accountability: Xiao Xi’s grandparents immediately take her side, while her mother emphasizes that she must accept responsibility.
• Comedy through misunderstanding: Xiao Xi’s exaggerated accusations and her grandfather’s poor hearing create an inflated family crisis.
• Food as a practical resolution: Yuuma repeatedly uses the waiting meal to prevent the family from escalating the conflict.
• Takuya’s independence: He ignores the family drama, explores the island, and leaves without explanation or concern for their reaction.

Character Interactions

• Takuya silently passes Xiao Xi and her mother, reinforcing his indifference toward them.
• Xiao Xi appeals first to Yuuma, then to her grandparents, trying to recruit them into taking revenge.
• Xiao Xi’s mother corrects her daughter’s story and challenges the grandmother’s anger.
• Yuuma mediates between the family’s emotional reactions and the reality of Takuya’s strength.
• The grandmother and grandfather unite in defending Xiao Xi, but their resolve collapses once they learn Takuya commands an Elite Rank Salamence.

Chapter Summary: “You Are Free”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Takuya obtains his eighth Kanto Gym Badge and submits the required badge photos, earning an invitation to the Indigo Plateau Conference.
• He arrives at Indigo Plateau two days before the tournament, spends time sightseeing and feeding Pikachu, and prepares for the competition.
• In the opening round, Takuya’s ordinary, untrained Pikachu quickly loses to his young opponent’s first Pokémon. Takuya then reveals Salamence.
• Salamence’s intimidating presence overwhelms the opponent’s Pokémon, leaving them too frightened to fight. The opponent eventually surrenders, giving Takuya an easy victory.
• Takuya continues using Salamence throughout the tournament. His opponents either surrender after seeing Salamence or are defeated effortlessly.
• He wins four additional matches, advances through the quarterfinals and semifinals, and defeats a strong teenage girl in the finals to become Indigo Plateau Conference champion.
• Winning the tournament completes his mission and grants him 500 Anime Points.
• Finding the Pokémon world repetitive and unchallenging after the tournament, Takuya releases Salamence and Pikachu, tells them they are free, and ends the Pokémon save file.
• He returns to his League of Legends save file, where NIP is preparing for its next match against TES after winning the Global First Stand championship.
• Takuya spends Anime Points to maximize all his attributes, bringing himself to a level capable of competing at the World Championship.
• Under Coach Luo Bing’s direction, NIP scrims against JDG, TT, and FunPlus Phoenix, winning all ten practice games and building confidence before the TES match.

Character Developments

• Takuya: Demonstrates overwhelming strength through Salamence and wins the Indigo Plateau Conference with minimal effort. However, his boredom reveals that the Pokémon journey has become routine rather than fulfilling. He also grows stronger as an esports player by maxing out his attributes, signaling his focus on achieving NIP’s remaining goal: winning the World Championship.
• Salamence: Establishes itself as an Elite Four-level powerhouse whose mere roar can incapacitate opposing Pokémon. Its strength completely determines the outcome of the tournament.
• Pikachu: Serves mainly as Takuya’s companion and is treated warmly, receiving lavish meals and comfort after its defeat. Takuya acknowledges that it was an untrained wild Pokémon rather than blaming it for losing.
• The young opponent: Initially confident after seeing Pikachu’s weakness, he becomes terrified when Salamence appears and ultimately surrenders after his Pokémon refuse to fight.
• Luo Bing: Becomes increasingly confident in NIP’s prospects after observing their flawless scrim performance.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power and lack of challenge: Salamence’s Elite Four-level strength makes the entire conference nearly effortless, emphasizing how excessive power can remove tension and excitement.
• Freedom and release: Takuya’s decision to free Salamence and Pikachu reflects his willingness to let go of a completed journey rather than prolonging an experience that no longer interests him.
• Achievement versus fulfillment: Winning the conference completes Takuya’s objective but does not satisfy him emotionally; once the goal is achieved, he quickly moves on.
• Preparation and ambition: His careful management of Anime Points and maxed attributes shows a long-term commitment to winning the World Championship with NIP.
• Confidence through results: NIP’s ten consecutive scrim victories strengthen both the team’s and coach’s belief that they can defeat TES.

Character Interactions

• Takuya comforts Pikachu after its loss and later shares food with it, showing a caring bond despite Pikachu’s limited battle role.
• The young Trainer’s confidence collapses after Salamence appears, creating a sharp contrast between his initial optimism and helpless surrender.
• Takuya’s interactions with Salamence and Pikachu culminate in a farewell in which he releases them and tells them they are free.
• Coach Luo Bing works with NIP to restore their competitive form, and the team’s strong scrim results reinforce mutual confidence before the upcoming TES match.

Chapter Summary: “Home Opener!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shenzhen NIP completed its home arena while the team was away competing at the Global First Stand.
• To promote the home opener, NIP released a video featuring its players. Ticket sales were extremely successful, helped by the popularity of doinb and the growing fanbase of relife, whose arrival had coincided with NIP’s undefeated run and victories in both the First Split and Global First Stand.
• All tickets sold out within five minutes. Even many TES fans—particularly supporters of TES’s popular player “Brother”—could not obtain seats and complained online about the arena’s limited capacity.
• On match day, NIP received overwhelming support from the home crowd. Their entrance produced cheers resembling those at a major concert, while TES received less than half as much applause because most of the audience supported NIP.
• The Second Split introduced a new side-selection rule: each team sends out a player for a SOLO match, with the winner gaining side-selection priority.
• NIP chose relife/Takuya, whose teammates considered him the strongest and most reliable SOLO player. TES selected its mid laner, Creme.
• Before the duel, Takuya upgraded Irelia to SS rank, confident that the champion would be sufficient for the one-on-one match. TES did not ban Irelia, since Takuya had never publicly used her.
• TES banned Corki, Varus, and Jayce, while Takuya made relatively careless bans. His teammates joked that he was underestimating Creme.
• Takuya locked in Irelia, while Creme selected Akali, a champion known as one of his specialties.
• NIP’s players discussed the matchup, noting that Irelia could dominate ranged marksmen but might struggle against stalling champions such as Lee Sin or Poppy. They also teased Creme’s Akali by comparing it unfavorably to doinb’s.
• The SOLO match began cautiously, with both players waiting for the minion wave instead of immediately engaging.
• The LPL assigned prominent commentators Guan Zeyuan and Remember to the match, emphasizing the importance of NIP’s return as reigning Global First Stand champions and representatives of the league’s hopes against Korea.

Character Developments

• Takuya/relife: Demonstrates growing confidence and recognition within NIP. He is trusted as the team’s strongest SOLO player and chooses an aggressive, mechanically demanding Irelia pick. His calm confidence contrasts with his teammates’ joking suggestions.
• doinb: Continues to display his popularity and leadership within the team. He contributes playful commentary and confidently boasts about his own Akali skill.
• Shanji: Shows expertise with Irelia, reinforcing his reputation as the “Irelia Jinchuriki.” He provides tactical insight into favorable and unfavorable SOLO matchups.
• Leave and ppgod: Participate in the team’s relaxed banter while offering observations about the Irelia-versus-marksman matchup.
• Creme: Is established as a highly capable mid laner with a particularly strong Akali, making him a credible opponent for Takuya despite NIP’s confidence.
• NIP as a team: Their championship success has transformed them into a major domestic attraction, with a large and passionate fanbase.

Significant Themes

• Home-field advantage: NIP’s new arena symbolizes the team’s rising status, while the crowd’s overwhelming support creates an intimidating atmosphere for TES.
• Fame and fan culture: The chapter emphasizes how victories and star players drive ticket sales, fan loyalty, and public attention.
• Confidence versus arrogance: NIP’s players trust Takuya’s ability, but their casual bans and teasing suggest they may be underestimating Creme.
• Competitive innovation: The new SOLO-based side-selection rule introduces an additional strategic layer before the main match.
• National and regional pride: NIP’s Global First Stand victory has made them a symbol of hope for the LPL, increasing the significance of their domestic return.

Character Interactions

• NIP’s players joke together about Takuya’s careless bans and urge him to choose safer SOLO champions such as Lee Sin or Poppy.
• Shanji explains Irelia’s strengths and weaknesses, while Leave builds on his analysis of how she can exploit marksmen.
• doinb and Leave mockingly compare Creme’s Akali to doinb’s own, creating a playful, competitive atmosphere.
• Despite the teasing, the team’s conversation reveals strong camaraderie and genuine confidence in Takuya.
• The contrast between NIP’s united, celebratory home crowd and TES’s quieter reception establishes the emotional imbalance before the duel begins.

Chapter Summary: “Solo Side Selection Match”

Key Plot Points and Events

• NIP’s opening match is scheduled for the weekend to maximize viewership.
• Before the main series, Takuya and Creme face off in a solo side-selection match using Irelia and Akali.
• Despite the commentators’ expectation of a cautious early game, Takuya’s level-one Irelia kills Creme’s Akali, giving Creme only one remaining life.
• Takuya then executes a precise tower dive, stunning Akali under the turret and killing her again. The solo match ends before the shrinking-arena phase.
• Creme is stunned by Takuya’s laning ability, noting that the jungler’s mechanics resemble those of an elite mid laner such as Faker.
• NIP wins the side-selection match and chooses blue side for the official game.
• During the draft:
  • NIP bans Skarner, Rumble, and Varus.
  • Top Esports bans Takuya’s Vi, Wukong, and Kindred.
  • NIP first-picks doinb’s signature Ryze.
  • Top Esports responds with Lee Sin and Akali, deliberately taking Takuya’s signature Lee Sin and preparing to counter NIP’s jungle pool.
  • NIP nevertheless selects Nidalee, trusting Takuya’s exceptional performance on the champion.
  • Top Esports chooses Jayce, suggesting a poke-oriented composition.
  • Further bans remove Lucian, Alistar, Ezreal, and Xayah.

Character Developments

• Takuya demonstrates outstanding confidence, mechanics, and laning precision. He remains unfazed when Lee Sin is taken away and willingly locks in Nidalee, accepting the challenge.
• Creme experiences a sharp loss of confidence after being solo-killed twice. His respect for Takuya increases, especially because Takuya is a jungler capable of dominating a skilled mid laner.
• doinb shows strong belief in Ryze, treating the champion as a personal win condition. His playful confidence turns serious once the draft begins.
• Hongmi appears calculating and confident in his preparation. He intentionally targets Takuya’s jungle champions and believes forcing NIP onto Nidalee is part of a successful trap.
• Luo Bing displays trust in Takuya by seriously considering Nidalee despite the team already having an AP mid laner.

Significant Themes

• Individual skill versus role expectations: Takuya challenges the assumption that a jungler should only be judged by jungle performance, proving he can dominate in a solo lane.
• Confidence and psychological pressure: Takuya’s early kills shake Creme, while his fearless Nidalee pick counters Hongmi’s attempt to restrict his options.
• Strategic drafting and counterplay: Both teams attempt to manipulate the opponent’s champion choices through bans and picks, turning the draft into a battle of preparation and mind games.
• Trust in star players: NIP’s willingness to select Nidalee reflects their confidence in Takuya’s exceptional ability with the champion.

Character Interactions

• Guan Zeyuan and Remember discuss the expected pace of the solo match, only to be immediately proven wrong by Takuya’s first-blood play.
• Takuya and doinb share confident banter, with Takuya promising to camp for doinb and doinb declaring that Ryze will punish Akali.
• Luo Bing consults Takuya directly about Nidalee, emphasizing Takuya’s influence over the draft.
• Hongmi’s drafting decisions are presented as a deliberate attempt to outmaneuver Takuya, but Takuya responds by choosing Nidalee anyway.

Chapter Summary — “Everything Under Control?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hongmi finalizes NIP’s desired Kalista–Renata bot lane by picking Renata fourth, confident that Top Esports’ ADC Leave would not take Kalista.
• Top Esports responds with Corki for Leave and Neeko as their final pick. Their composition emphasizes early- and mid-game pressure, mobility, and lane priority, since they cannot afford a late-game battle against NIP.
• NIP completes its expected Kalista–Renata pairing with Qingsong’s final pick.
• Before the game begins, Hongmi behaves dismissively toward Luo Bing during the customary fist bump. Takuya notices and takes the disrespect personally, resolving to crush Hongmi’s composition.
• At level one, both teams make opposite moves:
  • Top Esports groups to protect Jayce with vision near top lane.
  • NIP invades Top Esports’ Blue Buff jungle.
• Because Top Esports’ bot lane goes directly to lane and leaves no defensive vision in their jungle, NIP remains hidden and successfully steals kanavi’s entire Blue-side jungle.
• kanavi discovers the missing camps and becomes visibly frustrated. Rather than retreating, he aggressively invades Takuya’s lower jungle with Lee Sin, relying on early-game duel strength and vision showing that the Raptors are still available.
• Takuya detects Lee Sin’s approach through previously placed vision. He abandons Red Buff, hides near the jungle wall, and calls for his teammates to surround kanavi.
• ppgod leaves Leave to assist, while Leave stays in lane to farm a large minion wave safely under his tower. Doinb also monitors the situation from mid lane.

Character Developments

• Hongmi is portrayed as confident, calculating, and arrogant. He anticipates Leave’s champion preferences and acts as though NIP’s draft is entirely under control.
• Takuya becomes motivated by Hongmi’s dismissive behavior. Rather than merely playing strategically, he wants to prove NIP’s superiority through a decisive victory.
• kanavi shows his aggressive and prideful nature. He enjoys invading opponents but reacts badly when his own jungle is invaded, prompting him to seek confrontation instead of safely recovering.
• Leave demonstrates practical decision-making by choosing Corki for mobility against Akali and staying in lane when his team calls for help.
• ppgod responds quickly to the developing jungle fight, abandoning lane to support Takuya.
• Luo Bing remains respectful and professional, contrasting with Hongmi’s arrogance.

Significant Themes

• Overconfidence and control: Hongmi believes he has fully predicted Top Esports’ choices, but the early jungle exchange suggests that control may be less secure than he thinks.
• Strategic preparation versus improvisation: Both teams draft around specific win conditions, while Takuya adapts instantly when kanavi invades his jungle.
• Pride and retaliation: Hongmi’s disrespect fuels Takuya’s determination, turning a normal competitive match into a personal challenge.
• Information and vision: The opening moves emphasize how ward placement, jungle tracking, and hidden information determine who gains the early advantage.
• Team coordination: NIP’s invasion and response depend on communication, while Top Esports’ scattered positioning leaves kanavi vulnerable.

Character Interactions

• Hongmi’s cold, perfunctory fist bump with Luo Bing establishes tension between the coaches and reveals his lack of respect.
• Takuya witnesses the exchange and internally vows to punish Hongmi through the game.
• Hongmi and Takuya indirectly clash through their draft and jungle strategies: Hongmi expects to dictate the match, while Takuya intends to expose the composition’s weaknesses.
• kanavi’s aggressive invasion brings him into direct conflict with Takuya, who prepares an ambush with help from ppgod and potentially Doinb.

Chapter Summary: “doinb: Maya, I’m Taking Off”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Neeko, Nidalee, and Ryze coordinate a surprise attack on kanavi’s Lee Sin while he is clearing Raptors. Neeko roots him with Tangle-Barbs, Nidalee lands a long-range spear, and Ryze finishes him with a chained combo. Doinb’s Ryze claims first blood.
• Rather than recalling, Nidalee immediately joins Neeko in a bot-lane gank. Their unexpected arrival catches Renata Glasc and Kalista off guard.
• Nidalee lands another spear, and the three attackers overwhelm JackeyLove’s Kalista. Although Kalista flashes away from Nidalee’s leap, Corki and Nidalee continue the pursuit, and a second spear kills him.
• Neeko attempts to catch Renata with another Tangle-Barbs, but crisp reacts quickly and flashes over it, escaping certain death. The attackers stop chasing, recognizing the missed skill shot.
• Nidalee recalls and asks Ryze and Shanji to help protect her top-side jungle, anticipating that Lee Sin will invade it. Shanji spots Lee Sin taking Gromp, and Nidalee and Ryze collapse on him. Lee Sin dies, this time giving Nidalee the kill.
• Nidalee then invades the enemy top-side jungle and steals the respawned camps. When Lee Sin returns to Krugs, Nidalee takes the large Krug before he can Smite it.
• Furious, Lee Sin calls Jayce and Akali for assistance. However, Nidalee escapes over the wall before they can trap her, easily dodging Lee Sin’s predictive Q and evading Akali.
• Lee Sin blames Akali for arriving too late. Akali feels frustrated because responding to the invasion costs him several minions. The chapter ends with Lee Sin growing increasingly angry as he moves toward the Raptors.

Character Developments

• Takuya/Nidalee: Demonstrates excellent jungle awareness, aggressive pathing, and mechanical skill. He repeatedly predicts Lee Sin’s movements, turns defensive situations into kills, and confidently invades the enemy jungle.
• Doinb/Ryze: Shows strong willingness to roam and support jungle fights. First blood excites him, and he recognizes that the assist he earns outweighs the minions he misses.
• Shanji: Acts decisively as a jungler’s support, abandoning his lane farm to protect Nidalee’s jungle and helping secure Lee Sin’s death.
• Kanavi/Lee Sin: Becomes increasingly frustrated after being killed twice and having his jungle invaded. His initial greed at Raptors and later failed invasion attempts put him far behind.
• Crisp/Renata Glasc: Displays sharp reactions by flashing away from Neeko’s second root, saving himself from a likely death.
• JackeyLove/Kalista: Is caught without Cleanse and becomes vulnerable to Neeko and Nidalee’s crowd control and spears. His attempt to reposition with attacks cannot save him.
• Creme/Akali: Hesitates before rotating, prioritizing a few minions. His delayed response contributes to Nidalee’s escape, though he is also frustrated by the farm he sacrifices to help.
• 369/Jayce: Responds to Lee Sin’s call for help but arrives too late to affect the outcome.

Significant Themes

• Tempo and proactive play: NIP gains control by constantly moving first and converting small opportunities into kills, invades, and lane pressure.
• Team coordination: The successful attacks depend on layered crowd control, vision, communication, and rapid rotations.
• Risk versus reward: Kanavi’s decision to finish Raptors and later invade Gromp leaves him exposed, while Takuya’s aggressive plays succeed because they are backed by teammates.
• Resource trade-offs: Doinb and Shanji willingly give up minions to support fights, showing that kills, assists, and jungle control can be more valuable than short-term lane farm.
• Frustration and blame: Kanavi’s anger grows as his plans fail, and he begins blaming teammates for delayed assistance, highlighting the psychological pressure of falling behind.

Important Character Interactions

• Doinb enthusiastically celebrates first blood and his growing advantage over Akali.
• Takuya directs Shanji and Doinb during the defensive jungle play, showing leadership and trust in his teammates.
• Shanji immediately responds to Takuya’s call, while Doinb eagerly joins because he wants another kill.
• Crisp narrowly escapes Neeko’s follow-up root through a quick Flash.
• Kanavi angrily criticizes Creme for not arriving sooner, while Creme silently accepts the situation and returns to lane, resentful of the lost minions.

Key plot points and events

• Nidalee invades kanavi’s jungle, steals his large Raptor, and takes the remaining camp while kiting Lee Sin. kanavi chases in frustration, but Nidalee escapes without doinb needing to help.
• Nidalee takes the newly spawned Elemental Dragon while kanavi chooses to farm and recover. She then exploits the opposing bot lane’s assumption that she will return to farming: ppgod’s Neeko catches Kalista with a Flash-root, and Nidalee follows with a spear to secure the kill. crisp cannot save Kalista, though he uses his revive to keep her alive briefly for extra experience.
• NIP rotates toward the Voidgrubs. Nidalee and Neeko establish vision around the pit, and NIP’s top-side players arrive before kanavi can contest. NIP secures all three grubs; kanavi gets none.
• Nidalee invades again, spears Lee Sin through a narrow gap between the Krugs, and forces him to flee. She takes over and finishes his partially cleared camp.
• Nidalee then joins a mid-lane gank. Ryze roots toward Akali, but Nidalee’s spear finds Creme inside Twilight Shroud and reveals him. Low on health, Creme escapes by using his ultimate on Nidalee and then Flashing into the Raptors camp.

Character developments and interactions

• Takuya’s Nidalee shows confidence, patience, and precision. He deliberately baits kanavi into chasing, uses the opponents’ expectations to arrange the bot-lane gank, and repeatedly turns his lead into control of objectives and jungle camps.
• kanavi becomes increasingly frustrated after repeated losses in his jungle. His aggression against Nidalee costs him time, and he falls further behind by prioritizing farming over the dragon and being unable to contest the Voidgrubs.
• doinb offers to help when Lee Sin chases Nidalee, but Takuya declines, treating the encounter as a way to toy with his opponent.
• ppgod’s Neeko sets up Kalista’s death with a well-timed Flash and root. crisp recognizes that he cannot rescue Kalista and retreats, using his revive only to delay the kill.
• NIP’s players coordinate around the Voidgrubs, while Top Esports responds by rotating its bot lane and jungler—but arrives too late to challenge safely.
• Creme stays wary of the mid-lane threat and nearly gets caught. Even after Nidalee’s spear exposes him, he stays composed enough to find an escape.

Significant themes

• Tilt and discipline: kanavi’s frustration leads him to chase when retreat would be wiser, while Takuya remains composed and exploits the resulting mistakes.
• Prediction and deception: Takuya’s bot-lane gank succeeds because he acts against the opponents’ expectations after taking dragon.
• Tempo and teamwork: rotations, vision, and arriving first allow NIP to secure the Voidgrubs without a risky fight.
• Skill and momentum: Nidalee’s accurate spears and growing item advantage let Takuya invade freely, deepen kanavi’s deficit, and pressure the mid lane.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Creme’s Akali nearly escapes a skirmish, but Takuya’s Nidalee lands an exceptionally accurate spear, killing her and giving doinb’s Ryze a major advantage.
• The gank costs Akali an entire cannon wave, putting Ryze roughly 500 gold ahead—an important lead in professional play.
• NIP steadily controls the game afterward. Top Esports gives up the first two Elemental Dragons, while Nidalee repeatedly invades kanavi’s jungle, steals camps, and forces Lee Sin to farm only with Renata Glasc’s protection.
• When the third dragon appears—putting NIP at soul point—Top Esports finally contests. Nidalee lands spears on Lee Sin and Akali before the fight begins, severely weakening both.
• NIP starts the dragon while Sion blocks the approach. Top Esports cannot damage Sion meaningfully, and kanavi’s attempted steal fails because Takuya secures the dragon with Smite.
• As Top Esports retreats, Sion initiates by charging into Renata Glasc. Although Renata is intentionally positioned to be pulled back by Kalista’s ultimate, Nidalee’s perfectly timed spear kills her instantly before JackeyLove can save her.
• Renata’s death forces Top Esports to retreat. NIP takes the Rift Herald uncontested, then groups mid and uses it to destroy Top Esports’ weakened mid outer turret, further reducing their vision and map control.

Character Developments

• Takuya/Nidalee: Emerges as the dominant player of the game. His precision, aggressive jungle invasions, and enormous lead make Nidalee overwhelmingly powerful. He reaches level 13, holds three completed items, and has 25 Mejai’s stacks.
• doinb/Ryze: Capitalizes on Nidalee’s successful gank, gaining a substantial lane advantage and helping NIP maintain smooth mid-game control.
• Creme/Akali: Suffers from the early death and lost wave, leaving Akali far behind and unable to withstand Nidalee’s damage.
• kanavi/Lee Sin: Is repeatedly pressured in his own jungle and becomes so vulnerable that he needs Renata Glasc’s help merely to farm.
• Qingsong/Renata Glasc: Deliberately sacrifices himself to enable a possible Kalista rescue, but Nidalee’s spear kills him instantly. He recognizes that the enormous level and item gap makes the situation nearly impossible.
• NIP’s Sion: Functions as an immovable frontline, controlling the dragon entrance and initiating the retreating fight.
• Top Esports as a team: Becomes increasingly defensive and isolated, unable to contest objectives or protect their jungle and vision.

Significant Themes

• The impact of small advantages: A 500-gold lead is portrayed as highly significant in professional play and allows NIP to snowball.
• Mechanical precision: Nidalee’s accurate spears repeatedly decide fights before they properly begin, emphasizing timing, aim, and execution.
• Snowballing and resource control: Jungle invasions, denied farm, objective control, and level advantages compound until Top Esports cannot recover.
• Strategic composition and positioning: Sion’s ability to hold the choke point and Nidalee’s poke make Top Esports’ attempted contest nearly impossible.
• Inevitable pressure: Even technically sound retreats and defensive decisions cannot overcome NIP’s overwhelming lead.

Character Interactions

• Creme internally resents his jungler for farming while he is being ganked, highlighting Top Esports’ lack of support and coordination.
• doinb praises Takuya’s Nidalee play, while Takuya modestly dismisses the compliment as merely “basic mechanics.”
• Nidalee and Sion work together effectively: Sion forces enemies into predictable positions, allowing Nidalee to land lethal spears.
• Renata Glasc intentionally uses herself as bait, relying on Kalista’s ultimate for rescue, but Nidalee’s timing defeats the planned interaction.
• NIP coordinates around objectives and retreats smoothly, while Top Esports’ members are forced to rely on defensive positioning and cannot create a meaningful counterattack.

Chapter Summary: “All-In”

Key Plot Points and Events

• With Top Esports’ mid turret destroyed, Renata Glasc and NIP still face danger while establishing vision around the fourth Elemental Dragon. Top Esports groups as five and claims the C-shaped brush, but NIP delays their approach while pushing the side lanes.
• Top Esports is forced to contest the dragon while missing Brother’s AD carry, who has returned to mid lane to clear a wave. NIP gathers all five members, pressures them away from the river, and starts the dragon.
• Sion blocks Top Esports in the tri-brush with a fully charged Q, preventing them from entering. NIP secures the fourth dragon and obtains the Infernal Dragon Soul—an especially powerful objective for Corki.
• With the Dragon Soul lost, Top Esports makes a desperate all-in attempt on Baron Nashor. Their Kalista and Lee Sin provide a strong execute combination, but NIP discovers the attempt before Baron can be secured.
• NIP initiates the fight: Sion engages, while Neeko disguises herself as Corki and Flash-Rocketbelts into the Baron pit, catching four enemies with her ultimate. Nidalee’s spear kills Renata Glasc instantly, and Corki heavily damages the opposing formation.
• Ryze uses Realm Warp to enter the fight and helps eliminate Lee Sin. Once Lee Sin dies, Top Esports loses its ability to reliably contest Baron. NIP wipes out four members, while only Kalista escapes, then claims the Baron.
• Empowered by Baron, NIP pushes the top and mid lanes, destroying both inhibitor turrets without overextending for the inhibitors. They then rotate bottom, destroy the bottom inhibitor turret, and eventually take all three inhibitors.
• NIP remains on the map rather than recalling, intending to use Baron-empowered minions and the open base to finish the game in a final push.

Character Developments

• Takuya demonstrates strong leadership, directing NIP’s objective control, teamfight initiation, and response to the Baron attempt.
• Sion/Shanji serves as a crucial frontline controller. His positioning in the tri-brush secures the Dragon Soul by denying Top Esports access, and his later engage starts the decisive Baron fight.
• Neeko/doinb makes a high-impact play by disguising herself as Corki and using Flash and Rocketbelt to land her ultimate on nearly the entire enemy team.
• Nidalee proves decisive through accurate spear damage, instantly killing Renata, and later helping Ryze eliminate Lee Sin.
• Corki/Leave benefits greatly from the Infernal Soul and Muramana, dealing enormous burst damage during the Baron fight.
• Ryze uses Realm Warp at the critical moment to disrupt Kalista’s Baron attempt and bring Nidalee into range of the fight.
• Brother’s Kalista is forced into a desperate Baron call after Top Esports loses the Dragon Soul. He survives the ensuing fight but cannot defend the base alone.
• Renata Glasc/crisp is caught and killed unexpectedly, weakening Top Esports’ formation before they can finish Baron.
• Lee Sin/kanavi dies to Ryze and Nidalee, removing Top Esports’ second major Baron-execute tool and effectively ending their chance to steal the objective.

Significant Themes

• Objective pressure and strategic desperation: Losing the Dragon Soul leaves Top Esports with few options, pushing them into a risky Baron gamble.
• Vision and positioning: Control of brushes and vision determines both the dragon defense and Baron fight. Sion’s brush control and ppgod’s scouting are especially important.
• Discipline versus desperation: NIP carefully waits for advantageous moments, avoids unnecessary fights, and declines to take inhibitors prematurely, while Top Esports is increasingly forced into high-risk decisions.
• Team coordination: NIP’s victory depends on layered abilities—Sion’s engage, Neeko’s crowd control, Nidalee’s spear, Corki’s burst, and Ryze’s Realm Warp.
• Momentum and conversion: NIP turns the Dragon Soul into a Baron win, then converts Baron into all three inhibitors and a likely game-ending push.

Character Interactions

• Takuya and ppgod: Takuya directs the response while ppgod scouts Baron and urgently alerts the team, enabling NIP’s coordinated arrival.
• Sion and Neeko: Sion initiates the Baron-pit fight, allowing Neeko to follow with a devastating ultimate.
• Neeko and Corki: Neeko’s disguise as Corki creates uncertainty and helps her enter the pit unnoticed.
• Nidalee and Renata Glasc: Nidalee’s spear finds Renata in the middle of the crowd and kills her immediately.
• Ryze and Lee Sin: Ryze’s Realm Warp brings him into the fight, where he and Nidalee burst down Lee Sin before he can help secure Baron.
• Kalista and the Baron fight: Kalista’s Rend-Smite threat initially gives Top Esports hope, but Lee Sin’s death removes the necessary execute advantage, allowing NIP to take control.

Chapter Summary: The Win Was Inevitable

Key Plot Points and Events

• NIP finishes its opening game against Top Esports by exploiting their inability to contest objectives or clear super minions. Neeko disguises himself as a minion, allowing Sion to draw attention at the Nexus turrets before Neeko lands a decisive engage. NIP kills key members of Top Esports and destroys their Nexus.
• NIP wins the next two games rapidly, completing a dominant 3–0 sweep. Takuya’s jungle pressure focuses on kanavi, preventing Top Esports from establishing any tempo.
• After the victory, Takuya gives a bold interview, declaring that NIP will win the Second Split title. His confidence generates excitement among fans, and the interview quickly becomes the top trending topic on Weibo.
• The following day, NIP faces the highly popular IG. Despite IG receiving 87% support in the audience poll, NIP wins another effortless 3–0 series, with nearly every game ending before twenty-four minutes.
• Takuya completely outplays IG’s jungler jiejie, creating three consecutive jungle gaps through superior tempo, ganks, and flanks. He earns all three MVP awards.
• Since Takuya had already done the previous interview, doinb represents NIP afterward. Drawing on his old rivalry with IG, he repeats Takuya’s prediction that NIP will claim the Second Split title.
• NIP then defeats TT 3–0 after Takuya neutralizes their main source of strength, jungler beichuan. Without beichuan’s influence, TT collapses under NIP’s pressure.
• NIP continues its unbeaten run against AL. Takuya suppresses Tarzan, leaving AL without a reliable player to carry the game. Although Shanks’ Yone nearly enables a comeback in Game 2, Takuya’s outstanding individual performance preserves NIP’s victory.
• The chapter ends as AL enters Game 3 on blue side and first-picks Varus.

Character Developments

• Takuya/Relife: Establishes himself as the central force behind NIP’s success. His jungle control, rapid tempo, and ability to shut down opposing junglers make him appear nearly unbeatable. His confidence grows into openly arrogant championship claims, which he can make because of his hidden “cheats” and overwhelming performance.
• doinb: Becomes increasingly emboldened by Takuya’s dominance and joins him in publicly predicting NIP’s title victory. His existing grudge against IG adds extra edge to his post-match remarks.
• Shanji: Contributes to the Top Esports victory by using Sion to dive the Nexus turrets and create the distraction that enables NIP’s decisive engage.
• Opposing junglers: kanavi, jiejie, beichuan, and Tarzan are each rendered ineffective after Takuya targets them, showing how dependent their teams are on jungle tempo.
• Shanks: Demonstrates strong individual skill on Yone and nearly turns the second AL game around, but cannot overcome Takuya’s superior impact.
• Xiao Yu: Professionally interviews NIP despite her personal disappointment, since her boyfriend is IG mid laner Rookie. Her situation highlights the tension between professional duty and personal emotion.

Significant Themes

• Momentum and tempo: NIP’s victories are built on fast jungle pressure, early ganks, and preventing opponents from establishing a rhythm.
• The importance of the jungler: Each opposing team collapses when its jungler is neutralized, emphasizing the jungle’s role as the engine of coordinated play.
• Confidence backed by results: Takuya’s arrogance is accepted by the audience because his performances consistently justify his claims.
• Popularity versus strength: IG commands far more fan support than NIP, but popularity does not translate into victory. NIP’s results steadily win over more supporters.
• Inevitable dominance: The chapter repeatedly presents NIP as unstoppable, with consecutive 3–0 victories and no dropped games reinforcing the title’s sense of inevitability.

Character Interactions

• Takuya’s success influences the entire NIP roster, making doinb more confident and outspoken.
• Takuya repeatedly clashes indirectly with rival junglers, defeating them through superior tempo rather than isolated mechanical plays.
• NIP’s coordinated teamfights—especially the Neeko-Sion combination against Top Esports—show how individual plays create opportunities for the whole team.
• Xiao Yu maintains a professional demeanor while interviewing the team that defeated her boyfriend’s team, contrasting personal feelings with public responsibility.

Key plot points

• Luo Bing gives Relife the final counterpick; the team chooses Nocturne, pairing him with doinb’s Orianna for a powerful combined ultimate. Takuya upgrades Nocturne to SSS tier, and NIP bans the rest of his top-tier jungle options.
• Anyone’s Legend starts well: Tarzan’s early ganks burn Flash in mid and bot, raising hopes that they can finally challenge NIP.
• Once Nocturne reaches level six, the game turns. Takuya and doinb repeatedly use their combo to catch Shanks’s Azir, costing him kills, minion waves, and control of the map. NIP takes the first dragon.
• At the fight for dragon-soul point, the combo catches four opponents. NIP wins the fight five-for-one, kills Hope in the back line, and secures the dragon, bringing its win probability to 69%.
• Before the decisive soul fight can happen, NIP catches Hope clearing mid and then sets up at Baron. Anyone’s Legend approaches, hoping Tarzan might steal it, but NIP is ready to turn on them.
• Takuya uses Nocturne’s ultimate to plunge the Rift into darkness. He and doinb catch Shanks and Flandre with the combo; Shanks dies quickly, and Nocturne continues toward keal as the chapter ends.

Character developments and interactions

• Luo Bing shows confidence in Relife by reserving the counterpick for him, while Takuya takes responsibility for converting the draft into a winning strategy.
• Takuya and doinb work in close coordination, repeatedly combining Nocturne and Orianna to punish Anyone’s Legend.
• Shanks stays encouraging after his early deaths, but the repeated darkness-and-dive attacks visibly shake him. Tarzan reassures him and remains cautious around Nocturne.
• Anyone’s Legend’s players continue supporting one another despite their losses, while Hope’s absence in key fights leaves the team without its main source of AD damage. Leave deals damage boldly but is also vulnerable to being killed.

Significant themes

• A promising start can be undone: early gank success gives Anyone’s Legend hope, but NIP’s coordinated combo quickly overwhelms that advantage.
• Knowing a threat is not enough: Anyone’s Legend understands the Orianna–Nocturne combo, yet struggles to avoid or survive it.
• Grit versus execution: AL remains resilient, but determination alone cannot overcome NIP’s repeated coordination and map control.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• NIP decisively wins a team fight against AL. Takuya’s Nocturne ignores the tanky Shen and targets AL’s vulnerable backline, using his spell shield and Stridebreaker to evade Shen’s Taunt and chase down support keal.
• Nocturne heavily damages Tarzan, after which Leave’s Zeri joins the fight and quickly kills Tarzan and Shen. With most of AL dead, NIP pushes down mid lane.
• NIP destroys AL’s second turret, inhibitor turret, inhibitor, and both Nexus turrets. Hope revives and attempts to defend, but Shanji and ppgod force him away. Nocturne then destroys the Nexus, giving NIP its fourth consecutive group-stage victory.
• The team shows little excitement because NIP has been on a dominant winning streak since Takuya joined, winning every game without a loss.
• Shortly afterward, NIP management announces AKI’s dismissal on Weibo. The decision comes after Relife’s successful replacement of AKI in the jungle, which helped NIP win the First Split, an international title at the Global First Stand, and four straight games after returning home.
• Shanji and ppgod are shocked because they had not heard the news directly from management. They rush to AKI’s dorm to ask what happened.
• AKI has already accepted that he is unlikely to return to the starting lineup. He begins packing, planning to take one suitcase and ship the rest of his belongings home before taking a break from competitive play.

Character Developments

• Takuya/Nocturne: Demonstrates exceptional mechanical skill and game sense, neutralizing Shen’s Taunt, controlling the fight, and leading NIP’s decisive victory.
• Leave: Shows the overwhelming damage of Zeri, rapidly finishing weakened opponents and helping secure the team fight.
• Shanji and ppgod: Their immediate concern for AKI reveals their loyalty and friendship despite their recent lack of communication.
• AKI: Moves from shock and hurt toward resignation. He recognizes that Relife has performed too well for him to realistically reclaim the jungle position, though being discarded still causes deep emotional pain.
• Relife: Though absent from the match itself, his success is central to the chapter. His strong performances have made AKI seem unnecessary to NIP’s management.
• NIP management: Acts pragmatically and financially, firing AKI because the team no longer needs a substitute jungler and wants to reduce costs.

Significant Themes

• The ruthlessness of professional competition: Past contributions and friendships cannot protect a player once management decides he is no longer necessary.
• Success and replacement: NIP’s winning streak proves the effectiveness of Relife’s arrival, but that success comes at AKI’s expense.
• Friendship amid institutional indifference: While the organization treats AKI as surplus, Shanji and ppgod still care about him personally and hurry to support him.
• Acceptance and uncertainty: AKI accepts the logic behind his dismissal but faces an uncertain future, since the transfer window has closed and no teams are currently recruiting.

Character Interactions

• Nocturne repeatedly ignores Flandre’s Shen, frustrating him and demonstrating the difference between Shen’s defensive durability and lack of damage.
• Shen attempts to protect his team but is unable to stop Nocturne from attacking Tarzan and later killing him.
• Leave’s Zeri joins Nocturne’s attack, eliminating Tarzan and Shen and turning the fight into an immediate push.
• Shanji and ppgod react strongly to AKI’s firing, call him, and promise to visit him in person.
• AKI’s conversation with Shanji exposes both his emotional hurt and his attempt to remain calm and realistic about the decision.

Chapter Summary: “Leaving”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Aki officially leaves NIP after being replaced by the highly talented jungler Relife, who performed exceptionally well during tryouts.
• Shanji and ppgod meet with aki in the dorm, share an emotional conversation, and help him pack and mail his belongings.
• The three friends leave the club together. Coach Luo Bing calls to check on Shanji and ppgod, learns they are seeing aki off, and offers to pay for aki’s farewell meal.
• Aki reflects that his removal was caused by management’s decision and his own poor performance toward the end of the First Split, rather than conflict with his teammates.
• Shanji angrily criticizes management and even offers to quit alongside aki. Ppgod suggests that aki return as a substitute, possibly by accepting a lower salary.
• Although aki briefly considers the idea, he ultimately refuses to return immediately. Instead, he plans to take a break, practice support at home during the Second Split, and try out for the team again before the Third Split.
• The three brothers go out for a farewell meal. Back at the training room, doinb and Leave are emotional about aki’s departure, while Takuya views it as a normal example of competition.

Character Developments

• Aki accepts his replacement with surprising maturity. Although hurt, he acknowledges Relife’s strength and recognizes that his own recent performance was not good enough.
• Aki remains optimistic about his future, deciding to rest and retrain rather than give up on professional play. His plan to learn support shows flexibility and determination.
• Shanji demonstrates deep loyalty and affection, becoming angry at management and even offering to leave NIP with aki. He ultimately respects aki’s decision.
• Ppgod also shows strong brotherly concern and actively searches for a way to keep aki connected to the team as a substitute.
• Coach Luo Bing is portrayed as kind and supportive, separating personal concern for aki from management’s decision to remove him.
• Doinb and Leave are saddened by aki’s departure, reinforcing that he was well-liked within the team.
• Takuya represents a more pragmatic, competitive outlook, viewing roster changes as a normal part of esports.

Significant Themes

• Friendship and loyalty: Shanji and ppgod’s willingness to support aki emphasizes the emotional bonds formed within the team.
• Acceptance and resilience: Aki does not blame his teammates or deny Relife’s ability; instead, he accepts the setback and prepares to improve.
• The harshness of professional competition: Players can be replaced when results decline, particularly when management prioritizes performance and finances.
• Hope for a second chance: Aki’s plan to retrain and return in the Third Split keeps his future open.
• Management versus personal relationships: The chapter distinguishes impersonal organizational decisions from the genuine care shown by coaches and teammates.

Character Interactions

• Aki, Shanji, and ppgod share an emotional farewell while packing and escorting him from the club.
• Luo Bing offers aki a farewell meal, showing personal kindness despite the management decision.
• Shanji curses management and proposes quitting, while ppgod suggests aki return as a lower-paid substitute.
• Aki rejects their attempts to immediately bring him back but promises to practice support and seek another opportunity later.
• The chapter ends by contrasting the emotional reactions of aki’s teammates with Takuya’s detached belief that competition naturally favors the strongest players.