Rasmus " HooXi " Nielsen's move to Astralis initially seemed like a temporary fix but quickly turned into one of the most stable and talked-about partnerships on the current CS scene. Following the finals of PGL Astana and FISSURE Playground 1, the Danish team began to be taken much more seriously. Ahead of BLAST Bounty, HooXi gave an interview to BLAST, where he detailed his adaptation, goals, and the challenges the team has faced.

On the Cologne Setback
The early successes with Astralis came as a pleasant surprise.

I was positively surprised about our level in Astana, yes. I don’t think our result in FISSURE came as a big surprise to anyone and to put it nicely, I was unhappy about our performance in Cologne.
Rasmus “ HooXi ” Nielsen

At IEM Cologne, the team was eliminated in Stage 2, finishing last. Although HooXi isn't panicking, he doesn't hide his disappointment:

Concerned is probably not the right word, but I am just pissed that we didn’t show what I know we are capable of. I’ve said the same thing in every interview, I don’t care about results, but we need to show up every time we get the chance, to make sure we consistently improve and that last game at Cologne we just didn’t, which still bothers me.
Rasmus “ HooXi ” Nielsen

Losses That "Become Embarrassing"
Astralis sometimes falters — as was the case against TyLoo and FURIA Esports . And HooXi doesn't hide behind excuses:

I think it’s very different games and very different reasons as to why we lost. Against TyLoo we had a hard time keeping up with their individuals, which we will have to work on, to be stronger individually. Against FURIA Esports , at least in the second game against them, I felt like we didn’t show up at all and our fundamentals were completely gone. It was honestly unacceptable and a slap in the face that if you are caught slacking on game day... it becomes embarrassing. As to why it happened, I'm not sure. But I am sure it wont happen again.
Rasmus “ HooXi ” Nielsen

New Tournament — New Conditions
Ahead for Astralis is the online tournament BLAST Bounty, where they will be among the teams being "hunted" by others.

I don’t really know what to expect. I have never played online with these guys and sometimes that has an effect. I also think the tournament format is interesting to say the least. So I honestly don’t know how to feel. I think it’s a weird system, but I see the entertainment value. I don’t feel like a favorite in any way, but I guess we sort of are. Our mentality hasn't changed though. We are still in a build up phase.
Rasmus “ HooXi ” Nielsen

HooXi 's story in Astralis is not just a transfer; it's a test of the idea that a captain can be more than just numbers and frags. His approach is about development, systematization, and honesty with the team and himself. With this mentality, Astralis might not just return to the top but set a new standard for working with players going through a transitional phase.