The first team to advance to the year-end knockout stage is surprisingly JDG? Wolf Team aims for a three-win streak in the major finals.

The much-anticipated National Day holiday is here, allowing the KPL annual finals teams a short break. After a day of rest, the finals continue! By the end of the October 2nd matches, two teams will probably qualify early for the knockout rounds! JDG even has a chance to be the first team to secure their spot!

In the first match, DRG faced QJ. DRG benefited from borrowing players this tournament; the addition of Jiuku directly pushed Sibao to the bench, proving to be plug-and-play. Their debut resulted in a 3-2 revenge win over JDG, who had swept them in the summer season. However, aside from TTG lagging behind, the other teams in the Masters group are very strong. DRG will need to secure several decisive victories to break into the top four.

QJ's first match was a ruthless 3-0 defeat against WB. Currently, QJ and RW Xia share a 0-1 record with a -3 net score. Being first in the Elite group is out of reach for them now; their immediate goal is to win individual games early and avoid finishing last alongside RW Xia.

The second match pits LGD against JDG! JDG easily defeated TTG 3-1 in their last game, becoming the first Elite group team to successfully claim a major victory this tournament. With a 1-1 record and +1 net score, they currently top the Elite group. Both teams reached the summer playoffs—LGD made the top eight, JDG the top six—so their skill gap is not large. If JDG can secure another major win against LGD tonight, their chance to maintain first place in the Elite group will be very high. With 2 points, they can start considering the knockout stage!

LGD’s debut was a dominant 3-0 win over RW Xia, with Xiaoluo on the solo lane earning MVP in two games and mid laner Xiaoming maintaining his usual steady performance. However, since their opponent was quite weak, this result has limited reference value.

The third match features Wolf Team versus EDG! Although Wolf Team has won their first two matches and currently sits second in the Masters group with a 2-0 record and +3 net score, their performance against TES was clearly unsatisfactory. Players like Yishenglu and Dunshan showed a lackluster, unremarkable performance, making it hard to have high hopes for Wolf Team’s future knockout stage run. We can only hope they adjust and improve soon.

EDG’s first match went to five games against AG Super Play, with many focusing on AG’s form. But then EDG also went to five games against WB, raising the question: “Has EDG really gotten stronger?” Despite finishing the summer season as runner-up and champion, they rank third in the Elite group with a -2 net score. If they can secure a major win over Wolf Team, they stand a good chance to compete with JDG for a direct knockout stage spot in the Elite group.

Since the start of season S41, Kai’s win rate has soared. As a warrior-type jungler, Kai’s pick rate has significantly increased after being buffed by the developers. Although Kai can be played in the solo lane, many players prefer using him as a jungler. Some even say Kai has become the dominant force in the jungle this season. This hero not only has mobility but also healing and blocking abilities, and his second skill can knock enemies back, making him overall very powerful.

Kai junglers generally build semi-tank items, but when using his ultimate, Kai can still deal instant burst damage to squishy targets. His burst damage can even surpass that of Monkey King, and Kai can outright ignore Han Xin. Although Han Xin has multiple mobility skills, when facing Kai, he can only retreat because it’s unrealistic for Han Xin to solo kill Kai with his ultimate active. Kai is easy to master; with some practice, even beginners can handle him. For those wanting to climb ranks with a jungler, feel confident using the Kai Emperor—his strength won’t disappoint you.