The Story of Yasuo, League's iconic Champion who came to 2XKO

Yasuo, the Unforgiven, is one of League of Legends' most iconic and popular champions—even spawning several memes in the community. What many don't know is that his story is one of the richest and most tragic in the Runeterra universe, a drama of honor and betrayal. While 2XKO is in its closed beta period, bringing a new audience to Riot's universe, we're taking advantage of the opportunity to explain more about the origins of Yasuo—one of the champions already featured in the company's newest fighting game.

We at UmGamer have been working on this content that covers Yasuo's lore from his childhood in Ionia to his reunion with his brother, Yone - based on official Riot Games material.

The story of Yasuo and Yone has been marked by contrasts from the beginning. Yone was the disciplined and responsible firstborn, taking on the role of family protector after his father's death. Yasuo, on the other hand, was impulsive and arrogant, and was despised by the community, which saw his existence as a mistake. However, despite their differences, the two were always inseparable—and Yone always defended his younger brother in any situation.

However, everything changed when they entered the renowned Ionia Swordsman Academy. Despite his rebellious nature, Yasuo's natural talent caught the attention of Elder Souma, the last master of the legendary wind technique. With Yone's encouragement, who gave him a maple seed as a symbol of humility, Yasuo agreed to become the elder's apprentice and personal bodyguard. While the younger brother excelled in elemental wind magic, his older brother specialized in his impeccable dual-sword technique.

During the notorious war between Noxus and Ionia, Yone and most of his students left for battle, but Yasuo was ordered to stay and protect Elder Souma. Restless and impatient, he eventually abandoned his post, believing he could make a difference in the fight.

When he returned, he was surprised to find the elder murdered, and crucially, by a wind technique. As the only known practitioner of the style, Yasuo was immediately accused of treason and murder. He had to fight his way out, becoming a runaway in his own land—pursued by his former colleagues and condemned without trial.

Devastated by his master's death, Yone took it upon himself to hunt down the killer - at some point, he finally found Yasuo and confronted him.

In an emotionally charged duel, the youngest brother used his wind magic to escape his brother's two blades, delivering a fatal blow. Before dying, Yone continued to accuse Yasuo, claiming that only he knew the techniques responsible for the elder's death, leaving without ever granting the forgiveness his younger brother begged for. This moment forever scarred the Unforgiven, bearing not only the accusation of betrayal but the weight of having killed his own brother.

After the war, a Noxian soldier named Riven was found shell-shocked, exhausted, and memory-deprived by an elderly farming couple, Asa and Shava Konte. She took refuge in hard labor in the fields, hoping to escape the tormenting memories that haunted her.

This lasted until she was captured by local knights and brought to trial before the village council—as a Noxian woman was still in Ionia. Harassed by the crowd, Riven barely managed to defend herself against the accusations. The crucial moment in the trial came when the priests presented her broken rune sword—the weapon, broken into several pieces, was a Noxian artifact of immense power.

The final piece of evidence was a metal fragment, found by a Bone Washer among Elder Souma's remains. When the fragment approached the blade, it fit perfectly. The instant the pieces were assembled, the sword released a wave of energy that flooded the hall with terrifying visions of the war dead—showing all the pain and destruction the weapon had caused.

Thus, she could no longer deny the truth her subconscious was hiding. Amidst the visions, she stood up and confessed aloud: "I killed the Elder."

After her confession, Riven was visited in her cell by old Asa, who freed her by offering her escape. However, Yasuo's arrival changed everything—he wanted to confront his past face to face.

In a duel with Riven, memories collided, and the full truth emerged: Elder Souma's death was not murder, but a tragic accident. Riven, suffering from the immense violence her sword had always caused, had begged the elder to destroy it. In an attempt to undo the blade's magic, a fatal energy explosion occurred, taking the master's life.

Yasuo, upon hearing the truth, no longer saw her as an adversary, but rather as a reflection of his own pain—another soul broken by war, carrying a burden not entirely her own. The council's justice didn’t decree Riven's death, but a sentence of redemption through life: she was to remain in the community and work to rebuild what the war had destroyed, finding forgiveness through work and service.

For Yasuo, this revelation was pivotal. He finally had proof of his innocence regarding his master's death. However, his acquittal for this crime didn't erase the guilt he carried for killing Yone. His journey toward forgiveness was far from over.

Haunted by the guilt of his brother's death, Yasuo wandered for years. In an attempt to cleanse his soul, he attended the Spirit Blossom Festival—known for its healing rituals. There, he was attacked by an azakana (Ionian term for lesser-demons) who fed on his regret. To his surprise, a masked swordsman intervened, using Yone's signature dual-sword technique—and Yasuo quickly realized it was his brother.

Yone returned to life because, in the spirit realm after death, he had defeated an Azakana that haunted him—and awoke with a mask glued to his face and the ability to see demons.

With this, the two brothers joined forces to defeat the creature that tormented Yasuo. After the battle, the younger brother bowed his head, hoping for revenge, but Yone refused, declaring, "Yasuo, you may deserve death, but not at my hands."

They parted, but with a peace of mind. Yone pursued his new path as a demon hunter, while Yasuo departed with Ahri for new adventures in Bilgewater—including the fight against the Ruined King, Viego.

Yasuo's story is one of the narrative pillars of League of Legends. It's a tale that shows how misperception and pride can lead to tragedy, as well as the perseverance required to seek forgiveness, especially from oneself. Now, in 2XKO, players will witness the next chapter in the legend of the Unforgiven, a man who, after a life of torment, finally found a way forward—even if the wind that carries him still whispers of regret.