The Star Sea Team securing a spot in the top four first was like a flag raised high, inspiring other teams still fighting, but also bringing more urgent pressure. The Swiss Stage matches entered a white-hot phase, with every duel determining the fate of advancement or elimination.
After the Star Sea Team advanced, another crucial Best of 3 in the fourth round of the Swiss Stage unfolded between the Korean White Tiger and the European Royal Knights. These two traditional powerhouses, both with a 1-1 record, engaged in a desperate struggle for the second spot in the top four.
This match was widely regarded by outsiders as a peak showdown between two classic operational systems. On one side was the Korean Iron Curtain, with discipline and execution etched into its bones; on the other, the European classical legion, with profound heritage and perfect teamwork.
In the first game, the White Tiger Team showed the world what "terrifying adaptability" meant. After their loss to the Star Sea Team, where their formation was disrupted by an aggressive push, they seemed to have undergone a complete tactical purification.
During the Banning and Picking phase, the White Tiger Team gave no chances, bringing out their most practiced and ruthless lineup: Shen in the top lane, Sejuani in the jungle, orianna in the mid lane, ezreal as ADC, and braum as support. A system with almost no weaknesses, maximizing defensive counterattacks and global support.
The Royal Knights, on the other hand, chose ornn in the top lane, Jarvan IV in the jungle, Viktor in the mid lane, Xayah as ADC, and Rakan as support, also a stable team fight composition they were skilled with.
After the match began, the scene was initially somewhat dull. Both sides were extremely cautious, focusing on vision control and resource exchange, with no kills breaking out early. However, beneath this seemingly calm surface, undercurrents were surging.
The White Tiger Team's control over vision reached an outrageous level. Almost every movement of Jarvan IV was within their grasp. And Shen's Ultimate Ability for global support ensured that any small-scale offensive attempted by the Royal Knights was rendered futile.
The turning point of the match occurred during the first Rift Herald team fight. The Royal Knights tried to initiate, but the White Tiger Team's formation remained perfect, and braum's shield effortlessly defused the initial impact. Subsequently, Shen's Ultimate Ability descended, and Orianna's ball unleashed a devastating Command: Shockwave among the crowd!
"Orianna caught three! The White Tiger Team's counterattack is too deadly!"
With perfect skill coordination and focus fire, the White Tiger Team achieved a 0-for-3 exchange and secured the Rift Herald. From then on, the rhythm of the game completely fell into the White Tiger's hands. They used Shen's split push and terrifying vision control to gradually erode the Royal Knights' survival space, and the economic gap snowballed.
The Royal Knights tried to find opportunities to initiate team fights, but in the face of the White Tiger Team's impenetrable defense and precise counterattacks, every attempt was like hitting an invisible iron wall, leaving them battered.
At twenty-eight minutes, without giving any chances, the White Tiger Team flattened the Royal Knights' base with a huge economic advantage, taking the first game.
"Terrifying execution," commentator Commentator exclaimed, "The White Tiger Team is like a precise machine; you barely see any mistakes from them. Once they gain an advantage, that suffocating operational rhythm is despair-inducing."
The brief break between games did not help the Royal Knights find a way to break through the iron wall. On the contrary, the White Tiger Team displayed even more terrifying dominance in the second game.
This time, on the blue side, they proactively chose a lineup with a stronger early to mid-game tempo: Jayce in the top lane, Lee Sin in the jungle, Zoe in the mid lane, Kai'Sa as ADC, and Nautilus as support. Clearly, they did not want to give the Royal Knights any chance to drag the game into the late stage.
The Royal Knights, seemingly affected by the previous game's mentality, appeared hesitant in their picks, ultimately opting for a late-game scaling composition.
From the very beginning, the match entered the White Tiger Team's slaughter rhythm. Lee Sin's precise early ganks helped Jayce and Zoe establish a huge lane advantage. Jayce's long-range poke made the Royal Knights' front line miserable, and Zoe's Sleepy Trouble Bubble (E) repeatedly created kill opportunities.
The Royal Knights' jungle was completely overrun, their vision plunged into darkness. They were like trapped beasts in a cage; every struggle brought a fiercer blow. The economic gap reached three thousand at ten minutes and nearly eight thousand at twenty minutes.
"It's a complete one-sided stomp..." Yaoyao said, with a hint of discomfort in her voice as she looked at the disparate data on the field, "The Royal Knights are being beaten without any ability to fight back. The White Tiger Team has given a perfect lesson to the European kings in their most Skilled method."
No miracle occurred. The White Tiger Team gave no chances, ending the game at twenty-three minutes with an economic difference of over ten thousand, in a crushing manner.
"Victory!"
The purple victory sign appeared coldly and firmly on the screen.
"2:0!" Commentator announced loudly, "Congratulations to the Korean White Tiger Team! They cleanly defeated the European Royal Knights with an impeccable victory, becoming the second team to advance to the top four of the Star Sea Cup World Invitational!"
"This is a victory belonging to operations, a victory belonging to discipline!" Yaoyao concluded, "The White Tiger Team, with their powerful adaptability and terrifying execution, proved to us that they are still one of the strongest contenders for the world championship. After the setback of their first loss, they quickly regained their form and became even stronger!"
The White Tiger Team members calmly took off their headphones, with no euphoria on their faces, only a sense of calm as if it were to be expected. They nodded to each other, as if they had merely completed a routine training match. This calmness made them seem even more unfathomable.
The Royal Knights players, on the other hand, looked somewhat dejected. They were not weak, but today, they encountered a team in better form and better prepared.
With the White Tiger Team's advancement, the top four lineup gradually became clear. One spot belonged to the aggressive, miracle-creating Eastern rookie Star Sea Team; the other spot belonged to the Korean overlord White Tiger Team, which maximized operations and discipline.
The remaining two top four spots will be contested among North America's Aurora Borealis, Europe's Royal Knights (both with a 1-2 record), the CIS's Siberian Bears, and Southeast Asia's Bangkok Pythons (both still competing). The brutality of the Swiss Stage is truly evident now. Every team stands on the edge of a cliff; victory means retaining hope; defeat means bidding farewell to this World Championship stage.
The eyes of global audiences also turned to the upcoming life-and-death battles. Star Sea and White Tiger, the two teams that have already advanced, will also closely follow their potential semifinal opponents after a brief rest.