Frankly, Bryay much gave up on the game at this point. A Dark Knight was dominating in Top, while Bruce has retly died in Bot. No matter how Bryan looked at the situation, things were looking bleak.

  heless, the game went on. And, a loud bug was buzzing in Bryan’s ear, demanding an answer for a stupid question.

  “Hey, are ya listening? Got nothing to say for yourself, huh!?” Bruce kept rambling on and on, but Bryan didn’t have the willpower to eain that ungrateful dumbass. He came up with half-assed vague replies and tried his best to focus on the game.

  The three enemies in Bot ventured into the Jungle.

  “Enemies missing in Bot,” Bryaed. “They might be rotating to Mid.”

  “oing fon,” Raymond suggested.

  “Yeah, possible,” Brayn agreed. “We gonna do anything about that, or...?”

  “There’s nothing we do,” Raymond said. “We’re in a 3v5. They earhat Dragon.”

  “Hey, that Impaler is running lht?” Dyn smirked. “I probably kill her if I gank.”

  “Yes please!” Bruce jumped. “Do it! Kill that bitch! Do it now!”

  “A good idea,” Raymond said. “Except, how do you pn to escape from them without your ult.”

  “Touche,” Dyn gave up the idea as quickly as he brought it up.

  “Goddammit y'all,” Bruce ranted. “Somebody, anybody, just shoot down that damn Impaler. Don’t put all my hard work to waste!”

  “Sorry, bro,” Dyn apologized. “I think she’s out of reach for now.”

  “Goddamit,” Bruce finally gave the topic a rest. Though, he tiomping with his foot mumbling to himself. The guy just couldn’t get over it.

  An enemy defeated the Dragon!

  The message verified their suspi. The enemy has taken the Dragon and there was nothing the team could do about that.

  Shortly, the Impaler and Druid returo Bot. Even though the Impaler was hanging on a thread, she refused to recall.

  Girl got balls. Bryan ughed. It’s as if the Impaler was inviting them to attack. If Dyn rotated to Bht now, he and Bryan could finish off that gal together.

  Oh wait, the Ninja is also here. Bryan noticed. Never mind theter avoid this fight.

  Shortly, the minion wave arrived and all three enemies pushed together. There was nothing Bryan could do about this development. He chose to stay on the h his 60% HP and defend, but his presence barely had any impact. He couldn’t stand up to three enemies alone.

  “, kill her! She’s almost dead! Do it!” Brusisted and insisted and insisted.

  “And how do you suggest I do that without dying?” Bryan didn’t expect a real answer. He knew Bruce didn’t really think things through. Bruh was just spouting salty nonsense.

  The Impaler was ballsy. She chose to push instead of recalling to base, despite having only 20% HP. It looked like a terrible mispy at first gnce, but it wasn’t. In fact, recalling to base would have beerue mispy here, since she would’ve missed on this juicy opportunity to push hard.

  Even though the girl was hanging onto 20% HP, there was no effit way to kill her at the moment. Her two allies served as professional bodyguards, they’ll shot down anybody who dared to approach. The Impaler must have chosen to push with that in mind. There was nothing Bryan could do about it.

  "Meh, whatever," Bruce gave up. Or, so it seemed. "Hey, Dyl! e gank Bot! I already rekt this Impaler pretty hard, so ya just gotta get a few hits in. Ez."

  "You wao gank that?" Dyn made a face. "Sorry, my ult is down."

  "So what? Just go in there and shoot her and stuff!"

  "That's kinda..." Dyn wasn't sure how to retort to that nonsense. He should able to get in there and kill the Impaler, but his ces of esg alive were slim-to-he Ninja and Druid will immediately gang on him and kick his ass. It was risky as heck.

  "," Bruce urged on. "Don't wuss out. Ya got this. bro!"

  "'Got this', huh. Yeaaaah." Dyn had no idea what to say. Arguing back will only trigger Bruce, but following his instrueah. Dyn had to i some reason into this versation ASAP.

  "Hey Bryan, what do you think?" Dyn asked.

  "Me?" Bryan grumped. Don't shift the responsibility to me, dammit.

  "Ighat guy," Bruce said. "He'll distract them by defending while you sneak up to them. The perfe!"

  "Perfect, huh. Yaaaaah," Dyn rolled his eyes. He hoped that adding Bryan to the discussion will make Bruce see reason, but Bryan clearly wanted nothing to do with this. Dyn had to figure a different way to deflect this request.

  What would a pro pyer do in this situation? Bruce’s silly demand was kinda like an order from the team captain. Bruce wasn't the official captain, but his word carried that much weight.

  Because the real captain is ag oblivious all the time. Dyn threw a g Raymond, who hasn't spoken a single word on this topic. If Taurus roper team, Dyn could've relied on the captain to talk some seo Bruce. As, Raymond was too passive for his own good. He tain only in name.

  Even if Raymond had an opinion about this, he didn't share it. He was fully trated on his situation in Mid. Apparently, the ex-StormBlitz dude was giving the captain a hard time. He had his hands full.

  On top of that, Raymond's motto was something like “let the pyers resolve things among themselves”. A cute slogan, but it caused tless problems for the team and the club at rge. It gave Bruce the "okay" to take the reins and order everybody around. Anybody who opposed the king had to suffer the sequences.

  If I refuse to gank, Bruce gonna pin. If I gank and die, Bruce gonna pin. Fuck my life. Dyn sighed. He was screwed no matter what he gonna pick. Why was life so unfair sometimes? Sigh.

  "an," Brusisted. "Do it for your homie."

  "Okay, got it already," Dyn gave in. He'll go there ahe damn kill, then probably die. Will that make Bruce happy? Probably not, but whatever.

  At least, it’ll bee the team’s first kill this game. Their situation ressing 0-2, so getting one kill could brighten things a little. At the same time, one more early death will make a grim situation look even grimmer...

  Whatever. Let's just get it over with. Dyn knew he robably itting a mispy, but it wasirely hopeless. He might get a kill and escape alive. The odds were slim, but they existed. Worst case, if things go south, he'll eject outta there right away.

  Actually, wait. I just go there, distract them a little, and then run away! Dyn found a third option! It was brilliant! This way, he gonna keep everybody happy. It'll even help Bryan with the defense efforts.

  With that ingenious pn in mind, Dyn made his way toward Bot Lane. Unbeknown to him, an enemy ward caught wind of his rotation...

  "He’s going to gank? For real?" Kai couldn't help but ask out loud.

  "So it seems," Yuel also found that a little odd, but Taurus was ner to itting amateurish mistakes from time to time. It seemed as if their captain, or perhaps their shot-caller, was g in the deakiment. Or, maybe they didn't have a shot-caller at all. That’d expin why they seemed so disanized.

  "Let's kill him," Nia suggested.

  "Yeah," Kai nodded. "He’s probably going after me. Let’s strike him first."

  "Wait, let him e closer first," Yuel said. "Act oblivious for now and focus on pushing. Once he gets close enough, Vi should pce a shield on Kai and pull the Vampire."

  "A good pn, except I wouldn't trust this doofus to pull anybody," Kai retorted.

  "Such harshooor lil' me," Vi preteo sob.

  "I agree," Yuel said. "His accuracy isn't reliable."

  "Even the great Chessmaster belittles moi!?" Vi preteo sniffle. "I see how it is. Yes, it’s exactly as you say. After all, Mr. Bckhole is only good at gathering info. He’s a plete amateur when it es to pying the actual game. Sob."

  "That nonsense aside," Yuel tinued. "Kai and Nia, be ready to atta case the pull fails. Iron Maiden into Impale, or Shuriken Flip and into a blink. Or both. Your call."

  "Ok," Nia nodded.

  "Got it," Kai nodded as well. They were more than prepared. If that Vampire thought he gonna suck out Kai’s remaining HP, he better think again!

  Meanwhile, Dyn was on his way to Bot, believing he was being sneaky. The enemy didn't show any signs of anticipating his arrival. They were pushing onward in full throttle. They won't even know what hit them!

  Dyered the ne and crept from behind toward the overextending foes. All three pushers were looking straight ahead, unaware of the super sneaky forward who was about to score a goal. It gonna be a perfect crime!

  Just as he thought that, the Impaler turned around for some reason. It's as if she sensed Dyn behind her back.

  "He's here!" Kai announced. No matter how quietly the Vampire was trying to creep up to them, no sound could escape Kai’s acute hearing.

  "Roger!" Vi activated Gaia’s Prote and pced a shield on Kai. That alone was almost enough to thwart the entire gank. But, that was only the beginning. They were going to mount a terattack!

  Vi opehe attack by firing Nature's Grasp! And missed.

  "Again!?" Vi excimed. The success rate of his pulls was unbelievably low. It was 0% for this game so far. How could that be!? Bsmephy!

  "Really," Kai sighed and summoned an Iron Maiden behind the Impaler. , she gonna impale that bastard! But, she stopped at the st moment. The guy rolled aside.

  "Damn, they're onto me!" Dyn shouted while perf a panic Dodge Roll. He khis gank was gonna be bad news, but he didn't expect such a fierce ter-attack. He didn’t even have the ce to deliver o!

  Fortunately, he reacted fast and avoided the worst-case sario, that of being impaled into the Iron Maiden. He rolled around the Iron Maiden, so no there was nothing to impale him into.

  Damn, I 't shoot Impale now. Kai clicked her tongue. She was fident in nding the skillshot, but there was no wall to impale the target into. A rale will only push the Vampire father away from them. In other words, it'd help him escape. Dammit.

  We messed this one up. Kai sighed i. Both she and Vi failed to pin dowarget. And, he rolled away so fast that Nia didn't have a ce to throw a shuriken at him.

  Speaking of Nia, where is she? Kai looked around. Oh, there she is. The elusive Ninja was chasing after the fleeing Vampire. She must've really wahat kill, huh.

  Wait, isn't that just the e? Kai took a closer look. Enemies couldn't tell Nia's e apart from the real deal, but allies had an indicator for it. There was a small i showing duplig human figures, proving this was indeed a e.

  Then, where was the real Nia? And, when did she even leave their side? Kai didn't notiy of it.

  Wait, she's already over there!? Kai couldn't believe her eyes. Nia was already ihe jungle. She must have used Dodge Roll to get there so fast. Was she pnning to intercept the Vampire in the jungle?

  "I'll chase the Vampire," Kai told Vi. "Stay here and start pushing with Ents."

  "Roger," Vi unleashed “Awakes” right before allied minioered the tower area. With the gigantic living trees tanking tower shots, even a push posed of only minions had deadly might.

  Meanwhile, a chase began in the jungle.

  Damn, they're both after me! Dyn ranted internally as he gnced behind him. The Ninja and the Impaler were hot on his trail. He had to make a run for it! And so, he headed toward the nearby jurance.

  Vampire had det Movement Speed, but he was slower than Ninja. So, that damn Ninja might catch up to him. It was a bad idea to fight her at cle, so Dyn had to prioritize his escape.

  As soon as he ehe jungle, he made a sharp turn to the right. If he flees deep enough into the allied side of the jungle, his pursuers should give up.

  However, just as he thought that, a bde fshed in front of his face! It appeared outta nowhere and sshed him!

  "The heck!?" Dyn jumped. Who the hell was there!? He knew everybody's positions through the mini-map, so nobody could’ve possibly been there at the moment. Yet, someone was.

  It was the Ninja! She was right in front of Dyn somehow. But, how!? Wasn’t she chasing him from behind just a moment ago... Ah!

  A e!? Did she scare me away from the ne so I run over here!? Dyn couldn't believe this was really happening in a middle school level game. Anyway, this is bad. I gotta backpedal and find a different escape route... Oh, fuck my life.

  The true gravity of the situation only hit him once he turned around. Turning arou fag whoever was ing after him from behind. And, who stood there? The Impaler, naturally.

  Those two caught Dyn in a pio make things worse, there were long jungle walls all around this area. There was o escape!

  Shit, she gonna Impale the living shit outta me...! Dyn booted Coffin Slumber by reflex. He summoned a coffin that swallowed him whole. That'll prevent Impale from hitting him.

  Wait, she didn't even shot it yet... Dyn face-palmed. He totally panicked. He pulled the trigger before the enemy even started their move. Thanks to that, Dyn became a sitting duck for his foes. Awesome...

  He sure pulled that coffin fast. Kai shrugged. I didn't even start aimi. Well, that makes things easier for me.

  The Vampire willingly became a practice dummy for her, how nice of him. Kai and Nia repeatedly struck the coffin with basic attacks until they forced the Vampire out. Then, Kai fired Impale. It shoved the Vampire into a wall and sunned him. From there, it was an easy kill.

  An enemy has been killed!

  Nia delivered the finishing blow. Kai gave the kill away because she has already scored a kill on the Pirate the st time they worked together. Not to mention, Nia really deserved this one.

  This entire pincer ractically Nia’s work. Well, perhaps it only verted into a kill so smoothly because Kai quickly followed on Nia’s py. heless, even without Kai being here, Nia would have surely given the Vampire a hard time in the ju was a great py from her either way.

  "Let's get back to pushing," Kai said.

  "Ok," Nia ran back the way she came. Her chase ended up being anti-climatid short. But, at least it meant she had time to join the push efforts in Bot before Vi’s Ents perish.

  With the three pushers joining hands and the Ents tanking tower shots, the eurret stood no ce. A single defender couldn’t fend them off.

  Aurret has beeroyed!

  Oower already down, long before the game even started approag mid-game. This sighe beginning of the end for Taurus. With this momentum, Stratus' early-game position easily pushed all the way to victory.

  That was the end of the sed game. The scrimmage became 2-0 for StormBlitz. An easy 2-0 to boot. If things keep going like this, Stratus will end the day with a perfect 5-0. That'll be a great way to open the scrimmaging season.

  However, that's provided their oppos will fail to adapt and tinue pying on the same mediocre level. And, it also depended oher Taurus’ lineup will remain the same after this game...

  DarkestCymore