"I can't put into words how I'm feeling. It's crazy".

Fortunately for you, volt, that's our job.

Into The Breach are quickly becoming the main character in the story of the Major. Following an impressive victory over FaZe, they followed up by smashing ENCE on Vertigo.

"ENCE dropped the ball a bit by giving us Vertigo, so I think we were very confident going into that game. I'm super happy."

Vertigo has been a map ITB have been able to upset good teams on in the past. Falcons, Sprout and B8 have all fallen victim to it in recent memory, and now ENCE as well.

Michal Konkol

"The map pick, Vertigo, I think, for us, was the best thing that could've happened. If we played them multiple times on the map we would beat them multiple times on the map."

Given volt could scarcely believe that they'd won, his confidence is surprising. He offered some thoughts as to why the map veto went the way it did, but also how they managed to pull off a big win.

"I think Vertigo is one of their best maps as well so I'm guessing they wanted to play to their strengths as well, it wouldn't really matter what our strengths are. I don't know, I feel like they played a bit... they didn't play like they were confident, in my opinion."

The legend killers

ITB have now beaten two of the top five teams at the event and come extremely close to beating NAVI a little while back too. Despite their unassuming personalities and laid-back demeanour, they've found themselves to be quite the legend killers.

The reason for that? "I actually think it's easier to play against these tier 1 teams. They play more simple CS, you know, compared to the tier 2 teams."

Blimey.

Michal Konkol

It makes some sense, though. Necessity breeds innovation; when one has to improve or not make it to the big events, you will try everything. You need to innovate, if you're Into the Breach, or 9INE - who volt mentions as one of the teams whose Counter-Strike "has a lot of new stuff, they play different styles".

"Against these tier 1 teams, it's more simple for us to play, we know what's going on and there's more control in the game. I think it works for us because then we can dictate the pace like we did in this game, we just made them play our game instead of the other way round, which is nice."

The proof in the pudding, as it so often is, has been in the eating. They've shown themselves capable of outmanoeuvring top teams and outplaying them.

Unless one wants to make the argument that they are mechanically superior.

The next step

ITB will have two chances to win a BO3 for qualification, which volt suggests is 'five times harder, ten times harder' than winning BO1s, but isn't shirking the big names.

"To qualify for playoffs you have to play the best teams, you know? Obviously Liquid would be the better team to play than NAVI, but we'll. I think we'll try to do the same work as we've done so far and go from there."

The Team Liquid comment raised an eyebrow from us, so we pried a little deeper.

Michal Konkol

"I think the style of CS they play, and also the fact that s1mple can just go crazy, especially when it's a qualification game, the guy wants to go to the playoffs. I don't think I want to face s1mple, if it comes to a choice."

Yeah, fair enough. We're not sure we'd want to pin our hopes on beating s1mple, either.

But Into the Breach aren't all that bothered - they're just enjoying their time here.

"There's no nerves, no pressure. We've come here without a goal of winning the Major like all the other teams. Every game we win is a huge bonus. We're trying to give it our best, what happens, happens. However many games we win, we'll see, but we'll just keep going."

Perhaps they can continue to surprise not only all of us, but also themselves.

If there is a God, he's currently smiling on the newly anointed king.