Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno was the face of the beginning.
In 2019, the then-15-year-old KarlTzy — at an age when most kids were still unsure which path to take — was already making history, spearheading SIBOL’s rise to power in the first-ever Mobile Legends: Bang Bang event of the Southeast Asian Games.
Under the bright lights and against the world’s best, he carried the squad on his slender shoulders, going toe-to-toe with an Indonesian lineup composed of EVOS Legends players fresh off their triumphant M1 World Championship run in the gold medal match.
His mastery of Harith proved crucial in SIBOL’s gutsy Game 1 victory, where he paired with Kenneth “Kenj” Villa’s Chou to orchestrate an improbable comeback that gave the Philippines first blood in the best-of-five series.
And when SIBOL dropped the next two games, it was KarlTzy who refused to let the gold medal slip away.
Using Esmeralda, he anchored the team through the early and mid-game, setting the stage for Angelo “Pheww” Arcangel’s Granger to take over late in Game 4.
In the decisive Game 5, KarlTzy took full control with Lunox, racking up seven quick kills in the first five minutes. He ultimately carried the Philippines across the finish line — making the country the first-ever esports gold medalist in the history of the biennial meet.
It was a moment that felt permanent, the kind that promised many returns.
Yet after that golden night, the national team doors never opened again for him. The game moved forward, the federation implemented a new qualifier system for clubs, and KarlTzy watched from the sidelines as time quietly stretched on.
Still, the story did not forget him.
From that single breakthrough, the Philippines built a dynasty — one SEA Games after another, gold medal after gold medal. ML:BB became a stronghold, and the country never let go of the crown KarlTzy helped place upon its head.
The medals piled up. Three golds. Total dominance. And through it all, his name remained woven into the story of SIBOL’s rise, even as he was no longer part of the teams that followed.
Now, in 2025, the timeline bends back toward him.
What was once deemed a locked door was forced wide open by KarlTzy himself, as he led Team Liquid to the top of the SIBOL qualifiers. That earned the right to represent the country at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand while marking his return to the national team six years after the magical run in Manila that started it all.
“Sobrang sarap sa feeling and sobrang nakaka-proud kasi ‘di ko ine-expect na makakabalik pa ko sa SEA Games [after] nung 2019 eh,” KarlTzy told Tiebreaker Times.
And his comeback has been nothing short of phenomenal.
KarlTzy powered SIBOL through a perfect preliminary round, sweeping Indonesia, Laos, Singapore, and Malaysia to claim the top seed in Pool B and secure an automatic berth in the medal round.
The 21-year-old jungler said it feels different this time around, with the Philippines entering the tournament as the team to beat, unlike his 2019 stint when they were the underdogs. That confidence, he added, fuels his drive to help extend the nation’s streak to four straight gold medals.
“Siguro po ngayon mas confident. Mas parang buo ‘yung loob kasi nung time nung sa’min nung 2019, talagang Indonesia ‘yung naghahari eh. Tapos ngayon, Philippines ‘yung laging panalo kaya ayun, confident lang,” KarlTzy said.
The same player who ignited SIBOL’s dominance now stands once more on the brink of SEA Games history — this time not as a symbol of something new, but as a guardian of everything that followed.
It is no longer just about returning. It is about continuity, about protecting a legacy that began in his hands and traveled through generations of players who followed his lead.
And so KarlTzy returns not to reclaim glory, but to extend it. To remind everyone that dynasties begin somewhere — and sometimes, they come full circle.
“Sobrang halaga kasi syempre gustong gusto namin makuha ‘yun [gold medal] kaya gagalingan namin.”
