Recently, the LCK fan community has been impressed by Deft’s image of “training day and night” – the player currently representing Hanwha Life Esports, after this team officially secured a spot in the 2021 World Championship as the fourth seed from LCK.
Fans have expressed concern as Deft seems to be gambling his own health for the hope of maintaining good form at Worlds. In response to fans urging him to reduce training intensity and take care of his health, Deft shared his feelings that moved many of his supporters:
“I don’t know when it started, but just thinking about Worlds makes me tear up, with all sorts of emotions overflowing. For me, (the title) of Worlds is like ‘One Piece’. Those pirates are tirelessly on a journey to find One Piece without even really knowing what it is. I feel the same way. Perhaps after winning Worlds, nothing will happen anymore. Still, I will continue to strive for that goal.”
Many fans expressed their interest in Deft’s meaningful comparison. The masterpiece manga/anime One Piece begins with information about the legendary treasure of Pirate King Gol D. Roger. Roger’s revelation about the existence of One Piece before his death is seen as the event marking the era of pirates in this comic series. However, many years have passed, and the identity and location of One Piece remain a mystery yet to be solved. Throughout the history of the series, many theories have emerged suggesting that One Piece may not even exist.
For Deft, comparing the Worlds trophy to One Piece is enough to show his intense desire to win this title, even as he currently approaches the decline of his career. Evidence of this is that Deft has fought with nearly 200% effort when the glimmer of hope for a chance to attend Worlds was ignited after HLE qualified for the regional qualifiers.
In another move, Hanwha Life Esports recently became one of the first teams to announce their lineup for the 2021 Worlds, and with a roster that is not highly regarded, the championship goal seems a bit far-fetched for Chovy, Deft, and their teammates.
However, fans still hope that both Deft and Chovy will deliver impressive performances, especially Deft, in what is likely to be the final Worlds for this legendary player.