FUR Ayu: “I think FLY and C9 are really strong teams, but I think the stronger teams in Brazil, if they get better, they can beat anyone.”

Q: Could you feel the prowess of international-class ADCs at this tournament? What did they do better?

Ayu: For sure. I think the difference is everyone plays the lane how it should be [played]. You can’t really get a big gap or a big CS lead. For sure it’s quite hard, and the skill level is for sure high

[…] I think I’m getting a lot of leads in laning phase, but I need to transfer it better. I think in some games, I should play better and do more with my lead gold.

Q: They said they prepped for your Yasuo with the Lucian-Braum. Do you think they had the advantage with that trade?

Ayu: I don’t think the Braum was good against Yasuo, I think they trade sides, and we trade sides to. Our [jungler] just goes top and camps, and the matchup is going fine. And when Braum leaves the lane, I think Lucian lost his [summoner] spell. I don’t think the matchup was a problem.

Q: How was your experience improving as a team in Vancouver?

Ayu: I think we learned a lot about our persons and about our team. I think when we are in Brazil, we don’t care too much about [focus] as much on feelings as game stuff. So here, we could learn a lot as well.

Q: What about out of game? Any good restaurants you liked?

Ayu: We always go out to dinner and things like this. We are really together. I think our team really likes to play together, so I think it’s really easy to get good feelings out of game. […] I liked this pasta place, Franks.

Q: Do you watch LTA North? Do you think LTA South can get a second team to Worlds in the Regional Championship?

Ayu: I don’t really watch every game, but I watched finals, LTA finals. […]

I think, the thing is, if FURIA is a better team now, when we get to Brazil, the other teams will [improve] because they’ll scrim with us. So I don’t know — if some team can learn a lot, with us, I think we can make two LTA South teams get to Worlds. […]

I think FLY and C9 are really strong teams, but I think the stronger teams in Brazil, if they get better, can beat anyone. 

Q: What do you think about the idea that you play really confident or cocky?

Ayu: Yeah. For sure, I’m confident in every play. So sometimes … like, I’m a young player, and it’s my first experience at internationals. So it’s fine to make some mistakes, but I like to really play aggressive, because if I don’t play aggressive, what’s [the point]? You know?

If I don’t play aggressive and I can’t show my game, it doesn’t matter to go to international. 

You know? Yeah. If I don’t play aggressive and I can show my game, doesn’t matter to go to international. I really need to play aggressive and learn.

Q: Everyone talks about the importance of Tatu’s vibes in game to keep the team going. What is that like for you?

Ayu: I think he’s really, really fun in the game because he jokes a lot and, like, he never gives up. He just doesn’t want to give up, ever. Every scrim, we scrim against stronger teams, he just keeps saying “Never give up guys. You can do this. You can take drake, you can do something  — get a pick, whatever. Just never give up.”

It’s really fun.

Q: Your team seems uniquely willing to take losses and go down swinging, rather than playing passive like we’ve seen from many underdogs. What’s different?

Ayu: I think all of us think we can beat anyone. I think we have a really good team, and we are good individually and our teamplay is really together. We have enough skill to beat G2 and GAM. It’s a competition, it’s hard. Sometimes you miss something, and you lose.

It sucks to lose for sure. The point is, every game you play to win. I don’t think our team plays to “not lose.” If you play to win, sometimes you make a mistake and lose. But if you play to win always, sometimes you can really take the victory.

Q: Who do you think will win today? And then against GAM?

Ayu: I think BLG will win. […] I think [between GAM and G2] G2 will win. 

Because when I play against both teams, I think G2 have a better map state, and I think they’re really good in 2v2 bot lane. […] Hans Sama for sure [is stronger] than Artemis.

Q: Final message to the fans?

Ayu: Thank you everyone. Everyone is cheering for us, the crowd was insane today. Everyone is amazing. So, just thank you. It sucks to lose, but that’s it.

Q: Should LTAS fans root for FLY, or keep the rivalry alive between North and South?

Ayu: No, no for sure — I think FlyQuest is a really nice team. When they came to Brazil, they scrimmed with us, and they’re really amazing people. So it’s not a problem to cheer for FlyQuest.