With the deaths of their Mid, Top and Juhe circumstances were dire the Leopards. A 2v5 situation, with unprotected turrets in Top and Mid. The enemy Beastmaster spawned jungle moo tank Top Turret so that one was lost.

  However, there’s still a ce to protect Mid Turret. A slim ce, but it existed. Mid was the shortest herefore the most important ohe Leopards couldn’t surre without a fight. At least, Jennifer refused to do so.

  “I’m putting a stop to that Trickshooter,” Jennifer announced as she headed into the jungle.

  “You sure?” Albert asked. “He’s starting to bee fed and anybody from Top gank you anytime.”

  “No problemo. I’mma bo his ass real quick.”

  “bo? But, it’s still going to a while before you ... Oh.” Albert frowned as he checked Jennifer’s build. Though it was currently cloaked, Jennifer already bought a Lv.3 Spellbook of Doom. “Hm, you rushed it. Sure that’s a good idea?”

  “Dunno if it’s a good idea,” Jennifer shrugged with a mischievous smile. “But, I’mma sure TURN it into a good idea.”

  “Is that so.” Albert smiled wryly. There it was: Jennifer’s unbreakable mental image of victory. Nobody could attest to her true feelings, but no matter how Albert looked at it: she seemed thhly vinced in her uping victory. Her pn was beyond reckless, yet she sounded so fident. She was simply too dazzling for an average Joe like Albert, so he couldn't retort.

  Albert barely made the cut into the sed string in his st year of middle school, despite being a dedicated club member for three years. He followed Coach’s instrus to a T, practig the best meta csses, tactid pys. He even learo py both Carry and Support for Coach’s mixup strategy, to be ready to join the first string at a moment’s notice.

  Yet, despite all that, he barely made it into the sed string. He was in a pletely different league from Jennifer, who insisted to py the off-meta bo style despite Coach’s obje. Even with such a handicap, she became the captain of the sed string, and there’s no doubt she would have been on the first string if she pyed somethia. In fact, he could even see her being the captain of the first string.

  With all that sidered, Albert had nht to object to Jennifer’s decisions. No matter how absurd and risky her pn sounded, with her skill she might be able to pull it off. She was the type to take a bad bet and turn it into a win, a quality Albert didn’t possess.

  “I’m off,” Jennifer announced.

  “Got it.” Albert just nodded, without voig his s.

  She’s rotating? Yuel eyed boBreaker’s as. Lars was going to destroy Mid Turret at this rate, so rotating to Mid wasn’t an odd decision. A risky one, but well within reason. Breaker struck him as the ballsy type to shoot for it.

  ems. Cloaking something? Yuel pondered as he examined Breaker’s items. She didn’t betting anything new after dying, even though she should have had enough gold to either finish her first power item or to buy boots, the typical early game moves. So, she probably cloaked whatever she purchased.

  Was there any early game item worth cloaking for a Pyromancer? Not really. Based on past data, the oem she cloaked before ellbook of Doom. It was as a huge shocker in today’s first match, so she could be aiming for that surprise effect again.

  Spellbook of Doom was a mid game item, but only due to its power curve and not because of its price. She most likely had enough to purchase a Lv.3 Spellbook of Doom, whiabled her trademark bo pystyle.

  Did it make sense for her to rush Spellbook while she was behind on exp and gold? Unfortunately, Yuel couldn't tell. He khe gist of the bo pystyle, but not how it was advised to py under such specific circumstances.

  His only option was to analyze Breaker as a pyer. A proud and fident senior, who definitely practiced hard to reach her current level. She trusted her strength and her bo, so it’s very possible.; she could easily go for an aggressive py even while behind. She wouldn’t waver.

  “Their Pyro is rotating,” Yuel announced, especially to Lars. “She’s most likely heading to Mid.”

  “Cool, another kill for me.” Lars grinned as while barraging the Mid Turret, unfazed by the news.

  “Be careful, she has a cloaked item,” Yuel said. “I believe it’s Spellbook of Doom. She hasn’t built much power yet, but this early in the game the base damage of her spells will kill you fast enough with Spellbook’s effect. You’ll have to dodge her spells before anything else.”

  “Okay, sounds like fun!”

  Does he really uand the danger? Yuel sighed. He was this close to Lars to ht retreat from Mid. But, taking down Mid Turret this early into the game was too tempting. It’d be huge for the team. Besides, if Lars turables on Breaker and kill her for a sed time, that’d set her so much behind that she wouldn't pose a threat for a while.

  There were huge bes to reap here, but knowing that goof... Sigh. “Gilbert, please rotate to Mid too.”

  “Sure,” Gilbert nodded. “Hope I make it. We pushed Top pretty far.”

  “Thanks,” Yuel said. Gilbert most likely wasn’t going to make it quite on time sidering his current position, but that’s alright. He was only going there as a backup, in case things were to go south.

  This backup pn relieved Yuel a little. Still, he had a bad feeling something big was about to go down in Mid. Sadly, there’s no choice but to trust that Lars really listeo Yuel’s warning and was going to intercept Breaker correctly.

  Before long, Breaker appeared in Mid. She rotated even faster than expected, most likely using the movement speed buff of Burning Spirit. Without even positioning herself near her Turret - she opetack! She had no i pying this safe a straight for the kill.

  She opehe assault with Pilr of Fire, setting the ground around Lars on fire. A quice at her build revealed the uncloaked Spellbook of Doom, as suspected. She po instantly finish this with a bo!

  “She got the Spellbook,” Yuel said. “Reminder: dodge first.”

  “Got it, got it.” Lars turned around and dashed toward the middle of the ne.

  You’re already dead! Jennifer grinned as she drew the path for Bze of Inferno. Whether her prey was going to attack or flee, it didn’t matter. She only had to figure which of the two he was going for, so she could draw him a fitting road to hell!

  And, the Trickshooter made his move. He decided to retreat. It’s over. She dreath of fmes along the Trickshooter’s escape route. He was going to eat some much damage he’ll evaporate without a trace.

  The trail drawn fuiding Bze of Inferno was briefly visible to the enemy before the firestorm came down crashing. Supposedly, it was for bance purposes, to give the target a small ce to dodge. But, iy, almost nobody could react to it on time. That Trickshooter scrub was dead meat!

  “Geh!” Lars saw the red path stretg ahead of him. It was drawly along the escape route he po take. This was the road to hell. He was going to die.

  He already saw Breaker torch her foes in an instant in previous matches. Every cell in his body screamed: “You gonna die, dude!”

  Not in a million years, yo! Lars roared internally and activated Trickslide. He slid diagonally across the red trail, breaking out of it! The fmes of inferno already burned him down to 40% HP, but he escaped instah!

  Heh, dodged? Breaker grinned. Quite the rea time you got there. What a persistent scrub. She wao crush him that much more now! Everything was supposed to end with that Bze of Inferno, but that’s alright. She still had Fme Wave, it’d instantly erase this measly 40 % HP he had left!

  She repared to give chase from the get-go, so she timed her Burning Spirit to st long enough for that purpose. Due to how she drew her Bze of Inferno, the Trickshooter was forced to dodge in her dire. He was right within reach! It was over! That scrub was all offense and no defense! He didn’t stand a ce!

  Geh, she’s catg up! Lars could tell by the approag footsteps. The reaper was on his tail, already pressing burning scythe against his throat.

  Man, it sucked. His slide just now was so awkward, he slid right into her trap. Welp, that’s what he got for not practig his defense enough. Maybe he should take defense practice more seriously from now on... Nah! As if!

  I never expected to get outta this by pying defense anyway! He turned around, staring his pursuer in the face. Offense is the best defense, yo!

  A desperate st stand? You’re dead! Jennifer unleashed Fme Wave without a sed thought. It’s over. That scrub was done for- Huh?! He's gone!?

  No, he just rolled aointless! Fme Wave had medium reach, but it was a wide spell. Rolling to the side wasn’t going to cut it! Rolling away wouldn’t be enough either at this distance! He had o... Nowhere... No...

  He was there. Right there, beside her. He didn’t roll to the sides and he didn’t roll away either.

  No, he rolled forward! He rolled straight at her! Right before she unleashed the fmes, he rolled at her and passed underh her stretched arms! Absurd. Bullshit. It was a suicidal fiesta!

  Yet, he just barely dodged her Fme Wave with this stunt. She couldn’t cel the spell or even turn it aside at that point. The fmes burst forth, but her prey was right beside her on the left!

  W-What is this shit? Is this guy even real!? Jennifer gritted her teeth. She was orike away from finishing her oppo. In her head, she already saw herself pung that scrub straight in the face; an instant knockout! But, just before her fist reached him, her hand freeze in mid-air. s were attached to her limbs. She couldn't’ punch all the way, not like this.

  “It’s time for a trick show!” These wave her shivers. It’s the sound cue for the Trickshooter’s ultimate. The tables had been turned, now the Trickshooter was ing after her. He was the predator and she became the prey.

  There’s nothing. She’s left with nothing. Pilr of Fire, Fme Wave, Bze of Inferno and even Burning Spirit. Everything was on cooldown. She was a mage stripped of all her spells. She was as good as naked!

  She was at 90% HP and her oppo was merely at 40%, but she couldn’t fight back. Her limbs were ed. The restris of her bo pystyle didn’t permit any further fighting; the bo build she rushed killed that option. She didn’t have any cooldowion, so there’s no hope for her spells to e online before she’s decimated.

  It’s so annoying because it’s not like she couldn’t take this guy on. That Trickshooter pyed like a beast for sure, but Jennifer had enough experience dealing with beasts of this caliber. If she had to pick, then Fenrir, the captain of their first string, was a much crazier beast. She sparred with Fenrir enough to get used to such fights.

  Yet, right now, she was strained. She wasn’t allowed to fight any further. Her bo relied on finishing the enemy in one swift assault, but she missed her ce. She owerless now.

  Damn, I... I gotta get the hell out! Jennifer gritted her teeth and turned around. Dying a sed time during the early game was out of the question, she wasn’t gonna recover from that.

  Luckily, she didn’t even pass the middle of the ne, so her Turret wasn’t that far away. Even while barraged by the Trickshooter from behind - she could still make it back. Rather, she HAD to make it back! At any cost!

  Heh, look at me run from a scrub like that. So me. Jennifer smiled wryly but kept running toward her Turret. The Trickshooter chased her down with quick slides and dished out orickshot after another. Some flew straight at her, others bounced from walls and then found their way to her.

  This unceasing torrent of shots again... Was she pying a MOBA or a bullet hell? Seriously, fuck that guy. That deadeye accuracy was hax.

  But, it won’t be so easy this time. Jennifer already learned how strong his Trickshow was, she paid for that lesson with her life. The guy sure had pro-level accuracy with his Trickshots, but in the end, that’s just Trickshot. She knew both how to operate and how to deal with that skill.

  “No matter how accurate Trickshots are, they always have to rely oion to some degree.” Coach’s words were burned into her mind. Jennifer didn’t main non-bo Carries, but she practiced some Trickshooter due to Coach’s advice.

  Trickshooter was a fellow Carry css she could meet as a ne oppo anytime, so she had to know how to deal with it. And, what better way was there to study an oppohan by pying from their perspective? That’s how she knew first-hand how evei uable movements could throw a Trickshot off course.

  That’s right, she practiced it. Jennifer practiced both dodging and firing Trickshots, to fully uand them from both sides. That’s just one of many things Coach advised her to learn, and she added all of them to her “Stuff I Gotta Ace” list.

  Maybe she was stu the sed string, but when it came to practig whatever Coach suggested - she was the best in the club! Therefore, there’s no way this Trickshooter could break her! She WILL get outta here alive! Believe it!

  “Whoa,” Lars excimed. “What’s with this girl?” His Trickshots pinpoihe target, but Breaker made some ued turns outta nowhere, making half his shots miss by like a millimeter. What happeo his usual 200% accuracy? This was some shenanigans right there, yo!

  Lars ’t nd every shot? That’s... Yuel frowned. Last time, they caught Breaker by surprise amidst a chaotic situation and she was slowed down by Yuel’s Justice Strike, so she was thhly wrecked by Lars’s Trickshow.

  However, this time, she calmly read the situation and chose to retreat right away. She made some weird and ineffit twists and turns while running, which actually slowed her down. However, in exge, she dodged many of Lars’s Trickshots.

  After seeing Lars’s overwhelming Trickshow the first time, Breaker must have already figured he only spammed Trickshots during Trickshow. So, she responded accly, using a defeactic she undoubtedly practiced before. Perhaps she even practiced the specific sario of being chased down by a Trickshooter.

  This bination of adaptability, experiend skill... A sed-string pyer? Nonsense. Breaker would give anybody from StormBlitz’s first string a run for their money.

  So, this was the petitive level for Yuel’s age. This is the challenge he had to overe if he ever wao make it into the first string!

  “Drop the Trickshots,” Yuel said. “She figured them out. Just shoot with basics.”

  “Sounds good!” Lars switched gears and fired basic attacks at the fleeing Pyromancer. His basics were already strengthened enough by Attention Grabber, so they were quite lethal in their ht. In addition, they didn’t suffer from the casting time skills had, so he barraged her nonstop.

  Tch, already switched to basics? Jennifer clicked her tohat’s faster than I expected. I thought this scrub was a brainless orick pony but seems like his IQ isn’t ro.

  Well, either way, it just meant she had to ge her approach too. Against accurate basics, the safest tactic was to run away in a straight lio get the hell outta there as fast as possible. Blindly dodging quick shots that came from behind wasn’t going to work, not against this sherefore, she stopped usis and darted away full speed.

  The damage was heavy, way worse than expected. She fell all the way from 90% HP to 30%. But, she made it! By running in a straight line, she finally reached her Turret’s area. She was safe! The Trickshooter wasn’t gonna reach this far-

  BAM. A loud shot fired. It was the distinct sound of a Turret shot. Did that scrub chase her all the way uower!? With just 40% HP!? What a suicidal idiot!

  “Retreat.” Yuel implored. “It’s over.”

  “Nah, dude.” Lars grinned. “Don’t worry, I got this! Just orickshot!”

  After chasing his prey with just basics, Lars was gonna finish her off with a boung Trickshot. She won’t it ing, yo!

  Lars experienced many chases like these, therefore he knew: his prey was gonna keep running away. With such low HP, anybody’s top priority would be to get back to safety as fast as humanly possible. Therefore, he just had to aim his Trickshot to bounce a little ahead of Breaker’s current position. With that, he was gonna execute her... Wut?

  Breaker stopped iracks and turned around. She stood there, staring straight at Lars. Was this girl for real?

  Idiot, you fucked up! Jennifer grinned. Ah, this felt great! The moment that idiot stepped into the Turret's area, she finally broke away from the s holding her down.

  In this situation, she was no longer “bo Pyromancer”, or “Burst Pyromancer” or “Whatever Pyromancer”. She was just a pyer who faced aending oppo uurret. One of the most cssic game sarios, one she practiced a billion times by now! There’s o run anymore. She was gonna finish it right here and now!

  Dang it! I gotta hit her, yoooo! Lars already had his aim locked. His boung shot o nd ahead of Breaker’s position. But, he couldn’t possibly miss this shot, no matter what!

  I moment, he stopped himself and redirected his gun. There’s no time to find arajectory with a bounce, so he just fired!

  A straight Trickshot. Even without bounces, it was still strong and beed from Attention Grabber. It gotta be good enough, yo!

  Despite the split sed alteration, the shot nded. It just barely grazed Breaker’s shoulder, but it was a hit. Except, it’s not enough! It only dropped her to 10%! Quick, Lars had to follow up with-

  “You’re already dead!” Jennifer roared as she fired basic attacks. The Turret already erased 30% of the Trickshooter’s HP, so a couple of basic attacks were going to finish him off food!

  “Crap!” Lars excimed. That girl was sick! He inteo finish her off with basics, but her ter attacks came flying before he got the ce to react.

  You have been killed!

  “Welp...” Lars scratched his head and turo Yuel, slowly.

  “.........” Yuel stared with empty eyes.

  “S-Say something.”

  “................”

  “I-I know you wanted me to retreat, but I almost had her! I’m tellin’ ya!”

  “.........................”

  “Geh! Okay, I fudged up! My bad!” Lars held his head.

  “I didn't say anything,” Yuel turned away. “If you want my opinion then yes, it was a reckless, stupid and irresponsible py which killed some of our momentum. That’s what you wao hear?”

  “Geh...”

  “But, it wasn’t a total waste. At least, it still verted into a kill.”

  “Huh? It did?”

  An enemy has been killed!

  Breaker fell shortly, uo escape from the se. While he was rotating to Mid, Gilbert noticed the unfolding situatio through the juo arrive on the ne behind the enemy’s Turret. This allowed him to intercept Breaker and finish her off from behind.

  “Nice cover there,” Yuel said.

  “Yeah!” Lars tuned in. “Good job, dude. Thanks for ing up my mess, haha!”

  “No problem. You already did most of the work for me anyway.”

  With that, Breaker died twice during the early game. As a bo pyer, bei behind twice should be fatal for her. It’d be iing to see how she climbs out of this predit, though, holy, Yuel hoped she didn’t have a way to do that.

  The only regrettable thing about this development was Lars’s death. The team gained an overwhelming momentum through Lars’s kills, yet much of it was lost now. Lars was just one pyer, but he was the Carry, the one responsible for pushing nes. Without him, it was that much harder to capitalize on the enemy’s absence from nes.

  And, to make things worse, Freezer soouro Mid, befilbert got a ce to destroy Mid Turret. So, despite paying for it with her life, Breaker successfully saved Mid, at least for now. Lars’s death totally wasted the great opportunity they had to destroy Mid Turret so early. Sigh.

  If this were a practice match, Lars wouldn’t hear the end of it from Yuel. His py was reckless, thoughtless, amateur and all-around Bronze quality. Holy, it was ht embarrassing for a petitive pyer. Yuel will have to beat that shame into Lars, to make sure this doesn’t repeat again in an official match.

  But, this wasn’t the time for that. The team’s morale was finally restored, rgely thanks to Lars’s earlier pys. No matter what, Yuel wao avoid iing the team with any sort of ivity, especially since he was the captain. His words were going to carry immeasurable weight, so he couldn’t utter anything carelessly.

  Besides, this was Lars’s debut and his first match of the day, so no reason to be overly harsh with him. Lars had always been a high-maintenance Carry who had a habit of pying too aggressively, so this was nothing new.

  All in all, Lars pyed his role as the “momentum geor” Yuel sought. So, it wasn’t that bad to let Lars off the hook this once. But, only for now. Ohey get bae, they were going to have a loooooooong review of Lars’s performance.

  Despite this small hiccup, StormBlitz was still in a great position. With every passing sed, Yuel was more and more reassured they could win this round. Rather, they HAD to win this round. As the captain, he was going to make sure that es to pass!