Chapter 24 — Middle Road Rules

the stands seemed to hold their breath as the Game 3 (Blind Pick) screen entered the final picks. Unlike the previous two games, in Hidden mode, neither team would see the opponent's lineup until entering the match; there were no champion bans, making it a pure battle of wits.

On the VG Academy side, Lê Hoàng asked the whole team to choose a very strong team fighting team, capable of shock damage and the strongest dash. He was sure that Đăng would choose an Assassin to carry the team, and the best way to kill an Assassin was to use absolute strength to crush it.

"Are you done yet, Đăng? What are you going to lock?" Hùng 'Gaur' swallowed his saliva and asked.

Hải Đăng looked at the screen. His right wrist hurt like thousands of fire ants were gnawing on it. The pain ran up to his shoulder blades, reminding him that with just one more intense operation like Game 2, he could lose the ability to use this mouse forever.

"Đăng..." Bảo Châu's voice rang through the headset, hesitant and filled with extreme anxiety. "If you can't try anymore... just choose a Support champion. Everyone will protect you."

Đăng closed his eyes. Images from six months ago came flooding back. When he was surrounded by five enemy members, his VG teammates stood by and watched him die. That betrayal created an icy wall in his heart. He told himself he would never give his life to anyone again, he had to shoulder everything himself.

But right now, next to him, Hùng, Tuấn, Kiên and Nam were looking at him with eyes of absolute trust. They weren't the strongest, but they were the ones who tore up his leave application in front of the Inspector, the ones who fought against the anger of the whole school because of him.

*Real Rules of Mid Lane.*

Đăng opened his eyes, the corner of his lips appeared the warmest smile he had had in the past half a year.

He clicked the mouse and locked it on "Aegis" - Guardian Angel.

The whole audience roared loudly. Aegis was a highly durable support champion with almost no damage; its main skill was creating armor and blocking attacks for teammates. Bringing Aegis to mid lane was a choice never before seen in the tournament's history.

"That boy surrendered!" Lê Hoàng burst out laughing when he saw Hoàng Diệu's squad appear on the big screen. "It brought a Support champion to mid? It's really useless! Smash them for me!"

The match began.

As expected, Đăng was crushed by VG's Mid lane right from level 1. He had no damage to farm minions, was constantly poked and had to retreat deep into the tower. Aegis moved waddling and heavy, completely opposite to the graceful image of Shadow's ghost.

But Đăng did not panic. He calmly bought the cheapest health and armor increasing equipment.

"Tuấn, there's no need to gank me. Focus on protecting the bottom lane so Kiên can go green. Hùng, just hold the tower to buy time." Đăng ordered.

When Đăng was too weak, VG's Jungle decided to ignore Mid Lane and focus on Top Lane to stifle Hùng. They continuously used three ice pillars to kill Hùng. Hùng died three times in a row, but the boy still gritted his teeth and endured without complaining. "This meat is still very thick! Just come here!" Hùng screamed into the mic.

Minute 25. VG Academy held the decisive push in the mid lane. The equipment gap was so large that they were confident they would flatten Hoàng Diệu's squad.

Five VG members flooded in like a flood. Their mid lane used Flash, rushing straight into the middle of the HD E-sports squad, aiming a critical skill at Gunner Kiên '3G'.

"Die!"

*King!*

A deafening noise rang out. Not the sound of damage, but the sound of metal colliding.

Aegis controlled by Hải Đăng used the skill "Protection" - rushed out and stood right in front of Kiên '3G'. All the enemy's terrible damage hit Aegis's giant shield. Đăng's blood dropped to just a thin line, but Kiên was unharmed.

"Shoot them, Kiên!" Đăng roared.

Kiên '3G' did not hesitate for a thousandth of a second, unleashing dozens of attacks at the enemy, who was stalled after losing an important skill.

VG Academy panicked. They tried to kill Đăng to open the way, but Aegis was too strong. Furthermore, at that moment, Hùng 'Gaur' rushed in from the side, splitting the enemy squad. Tuấn 'Compass' rushed out to finish off the weak-blooded guys. Nam continuously buffed Đăng's health to keep Đăng alive.

Fighting broke out in chaos. Đăng didn't dance or kill people. He just stood there, like a sturdy mountain, using Aegis's body to block every bullet, every spear, every magic aimed at his teammates behind him.

Shadow's old identity had disappeared. Only Captain Hải Đăng of Hoàng Diệu High School remained.

Under Đăng's absolute protection, Kiên '3G' with his superior inventory wiped out the entire VG Academy squad.

"TRIPLE KILL! QUADRA KILL! PENTA KILL!"

Another Pentakill, but this time it belonged to Gunner Kiên '3G', a boy who had been scolded for missing a soldier.

All five VG members lay collapsed on the ground. Lê Hoàng stood outside the cabin, mouth open, legs shaking. He couldn't understand how a squad made up of separate pieces could crush his perfect machine.

He didn't understand, because he had never understood what trust was.

"Push straight into the main base! Hurry!" Đăng screamed, his voice hoarse.

Four members of Hoàng Diệu rushed forward like a hurricane. Pillar 3 broken. The soldier's house exploded. The two pillars protecting the main base collapsed.

And finally...

*BOOM!*

VG Academy's main building exploded into thousands of fragments of light. The words "VICTORY" appeared in bright yellow, overwhelming the entire screen.

The final whistle blew. Bright fireworks splashed throughout the Arena. A storm of colorful confetti rained down from the ceiling.

"WE ARE CHAMPIONS!!!" Hùng, Tuấn, Kiên and Nam took off their headphones, jumped up, hugged each other, and danced wildly in the cabin.

Hải Đăng sat down in his chair. He let go of the mouse, tilted his head up to the ceiling, and closed his eyes. A hot tear rolled down his cheek. You did it. He had proven that E-sports was not a game of betrayal.

The cabin door opened. Bảo Châu rushed in, unable to contain her emotions, hugging Đăng. She sobbed, tears soaking the shoulders of his hoodie.

"You did it, Đăng! We did it!" Châu sobbed.

Đăng gently wrapped his left arm around Châu, smiling gently. He looked to the other side of the stage. Lê Hoàng and Trần Quốc were standing with their heads bowed, enduring booing and mockery from their own fans.

The traitor had to pay the price of the most humiliating humiliation. And the true king, even if his wings were broken, still proudly flies on his own feet, with the comrades he cherishes most.

When leaving the stage, Đăng did not immediately look back at the rankings. He went straight to the medical room and let the nurse check his wrist. Châu brought the minutes with him, asking the organizers to confirm the pause time instead of letting others speculate. Hùng stood outside the door to answer the interview for him, saying the team won because they knew how to stop at the right time.

News about Đăng's past spread, but this time the story was not cut into a sensational segment. Châu posted the entire timeline, covered unnecessary personal information and asked Đăng before pressing the button. He read, corrected one sentence and agreed. The post did not have many compliments, but there were comments from other teams saying that they were also forced to play when in pain.

That night, Đăng returned the old jersey to his previous manager by mail. He didn't write a long letter, just wrote that he had chosen a new team. Châu asked if it was necessary to keep it as evidence. Đăng said keep it, but not for revenge; to remember how far we've come.

The package was sent out the next morning, at the post office near the school. Châu went with Đăng, waiting while he filled in the recipient's address - VG team leadership, the place he once considered his whole world.

"How does it feel?" Châu asked as the two walked out of the post office.

Đăng thought for a moment, then replied, his voice surprisingly relieved. "Lighter than I thought. I thought I would regret it, but it turns out I didn't."

"Because you found something more worth keeping than an old jersey," Châu smiled, walking alongside him on the tree-lined sidewalk.

Đăng did not respond verbally, just nodded slightly, but in his heart, that statement found absolute agreement. The jersey named Shadow was now just a memento of the past, while in front of him was a whole new future, built not on solitary talent, but on the solid foundation of true teamwork.