Ch. 501Hongmi's Response
Summary of “Hongmi’s Response”
Key Plot Points and Events
- Three days after their first meeting, NIP faced Top Esports again. This time, Takuya skipped the solo matchup, allowing Leave to play. Leave’s Pantheon lost to 369’s Renekton, giving Top Esports blue-side selection.
- Hongmi adjusted his draft strategy by banning three of Takuya’s jungle champions and first-picking Vi, leaving Nidalee as Takuya’s only comfortable option. Takuya immediately selected Nidalee for Shanji.
- NIP built a composition around Nidalee, mid-lane Kled for doinb, and a Vi-countering, double-lockdown setup featuring Wolf Mother and Titan. Top Esports answered with Taliyah, Ezreal, and Karma, aiming for safe wave-clear and mobility.
- Early in Game One, both junglers were spotted while clearing Raptors. Takuya disguised his route, took his blue-side camps, and quickly ganked bottom lane at level three.
- ppgod hooked elder brother, allowing Takuya to land a decisive Nidalee spear. Though elder brother used Cleanse and Flash, NIP secured the kill and gave it to Takuya so Nidalee could carry the game.
- Takuya snowballed the early advantage through repeated ganks and highly accurate spears. kanavi’s jungle was unable to respond, and NIP quickly controlled the game before defeating Top Esports.
- In Game Two, Hongmi repeated the strategy of banning Takuya’s preferred junglers. Takuya again requested a late jungle counter-pick rather than revealing his champion early.
- Top Esports selected Xin Zhao, Gwen, and Taliyah. NIP answered with Ornn and then revealed the powerful Orianna–Nocturne combination, which Takuya and doinb had used devastatingly against AL.
- Hongmi recognized that Taliyah would be extremely vulnerable to the combo and chose a mobile ADC and Braum, hoping to survive through counter-engagement. Elder brother remained visibly nervous after recalling how badly AL had been overwhelmed by the same strategy.
Character Developments
- Takuya demonstrates adaptability and confidence. Even after his preferred jungle champions are banned, he confidently plays Nidalee and later helps prepare the Orianna–Nocturne combination.
- Hongmi shows strategic flexibility by targeting Takuya’s champion pool and drafting compositions designed to neutralize NIP’s strengths. However, he becomes increasingly concerned when Takuya reveals unexpected strategies.
- Leave accepts a supporting role, giving Takuya the early kill instead of taking it himself. This reflects NIP’s willingness to prioritize overall win conditions over individual statistics.
- Shanji continues to function as NIP’s dependable frontline and “shield,” using Sion and Ornn rather than being tasked with carrying.
- doinb brings out his signature Kled and later collaborates with Takuya on the Orianna–Nocturne combination, emphasizing his experience with unconventional, high-impact strategies.
- Elder brother is shown as mechanically strong but prone to overaggression and poor positioning. His confidence collapses after Takuya’s early gank and the threat of NIP’s dive composition.
Significant Themes
- Adaptation versus preparation: Hongmi prepares specifically for Takuya, but Takuya repeatedly responds with alternative champions and strategies.
- Team-oriented play: NIP willingly funnels the first kill to Takuya, recognizing that the jungler’s snowballing power is more valuable than Leave’s immediate gain.
- Strategic surprise: Unusual picks such as mid Kled and the Orianna–Nocturne combination disrupt Top Esports’ prepared plans.
- Momentum and psychological pressure: Takuya’s early success transforms the game’s pace, while Top Esports’ prior experience against NIP’s strategies creates fear and hesitation.
- Role specialization: NIP relies on each player fulfilling a defined function—Takuya carries through jungle pressure, doinb provides unconventional engages, and Shanji acts as a durable frontline.
Character Interactions
- Hongmi and Luo Bing directly oppose each other through drafting, with Hongmi targeting Takuya’s champion pool while Luo Bing preserves counter-pick options.
- Leave and ppgod coordinate the bottom-lane gank, deliberately giving Takuya the kill to maximize NIP’s win condition.
- Takuya and doinb cooperate on the Orianna–Nocturne strategy, turning their champion combination into a feared team-fighting weapon.
- Hongmi’s growing concern contrasts with elder brother’s fear, showing that NIP’s reputation and previous performances are affecting Top Esports before the second game even begins.