The enemy frontline was gone and only one bowman remained in the rear. Despite Kai’s suboptimal execution of the advanced Bomber tech, she and Yuel still cleared the ne quickly enough to transition into a strong push.

  “Let’s go!” Kai shot down the bowman and marched forward along the ne, leading her army behind her.

  “Don’t get carried away,” Yuel warned. “Their Lion is going to arrive at any moment.”

  “Yeah, I know. But, I don’t think he gonna attack. These guys are some of the worst turtles I’ve ever seen. They tack.”

  “Yes, it seems they’re not too fond of starting fights. But still, it's dangerous to extend like this. Slow down a little."

  "Why, though? You're here to bail me out if something happens, right?"

  "Well, yes, that's part of the pn."

  "So, I'm ting on you."

  "Is that so..." Yuel sighed with a wry smile. He had flicted feelings about this.

  On one hand, it felt like Kai shoved all the responsibility on him. But, oher hand, it meant Kai trusted him to back her up.

  Just a few months ago, an iion like this would have been unthinkable. However, slowly but surely, Kai was getting used to the idea of relying on teammates. So, in light of that...

  "Okay, fine." Yuel ceded. "Let's push, but don't stray too far from me. I won't be able to 'bail you out' if I 't cast my shield on you."

  "Got it."

  And so, they pressed ahead along with the minion army.

  All the soldiers were io one degree or another from Aeromancer’s Whirlwind, but they all lived. So, this push ag aire minion wave!

  Naturally, the enemy had to respond to this threat on the double. They couldn't allow a brigade like this to ihe tower area.

  "They're pushing," Matthew informed.

  "Yep, sure looks like it." Cato frowned. "My, what an annoying offense."

  "Yoing to help out, right?"

  "What choice do I have? As awkward as this exge is going to be, I have to be there to defend. They really put us between a rod a hard pce."

  The Druid's presen Mid was quite the eyesore. He could keep the Bomber safe with Gaia Shield and he disced any ganks with the threat of Nature’s Grasp.

  What’s more, he had “Awakes” that could turn the ining push into a devastating one. In fact, it retty much assured that Yuel will summos at some point during this push.

  I have to disce that. Cato leapt out of the jungle and crashed on the swordsmen that has just ihe tower area. This py put him within the range of Druid's Nature’s Grasp, but it was a risk he had to take. I have to stop this offense in its tracks, right here and now.

  Of course, there was no ce the enemy would pass on a juicy opportunity like this.

  "He's here! Pull him!" Kai requested as soon as the Lionfolk jumped in. As, Yuel didn't respond in time.

  The Lionfolk crashed on their swordsmen and immediately rolled away to safety. It all happened in a matter of one sed. Yuel pletely missed the opportunity.

  "Why didn't you pull him!?" Kai pined.

  "I couldn't," Yuel expined. "For one, my rea speed isn't as good as yours. And, even if it was, I'd still have to predict exactly where he was going to nd, which wasn't easy to do.”

  Nature’s Grasp was one of the hardest skill shots to e this game. Its range was a narrow straight lihat had to be aimed perfectly.

  Yuel was able to nd it properly via predi every and then. However, this particur sario was beyond his skill, at least for now. Most likely, the eook this into at.

  "Tch, what a wasted opportunity." Kai clicked her tongue. She was ready to unleash hell on that annoying Lionfolk after Yuel drags him in, but looks like that’ll have to wait.

  Through a bined effort, Merlin and Rook have already elimiwo of the swordsmen. And so, Kai's army was reduced to just four soldiers.

  "You're not jamming in your ult?" Kai asked.

  "No, I don't think this is a good time for it," Yuel expined. "It's best to use it when they're g defenders, which isn't the case right now."

  "Huh. Pretty sure that's as few defenders as we're ever going to get sihis damn Lion always rotates over here."

  "He keep rotating as much as he wants. The more time he spends here, the less threat he poses on the rest of the map. F him to waste time here is already a win in its ht.”

  "If you say so." Kai uood the strategic importance behind it, but that didn't make her feel aer. As far as I'm ed, this guy always es here to ruin my pushes. So, I’d REALLY like to kick his ass outta here already.

  But, Yuel didn't cooperate on that front, so there was nothing Kai could do about it at the moment. The two of them simply followed their minions into the tower area and fired basic attacks at the eurret.

  Of course, Yuel made sure to cast Gaia's Prote on Kai, in case the enemy decides to unch a terattack. Between the Lionfolk and Aeromancer’s ults, the enemy duo had strong tools for ung a devastating ter here. Therefore, Yuel and Kai had to tread carefully.

  And so, the joint push reached the tower. Kai and Yuel positiohemselves at the edge of the tower area and fired basic attacks, while Rook and Merlin were busy clearing the invading minions.

  Shortly, the st swordsman colpsed. And, the three bowmen started following suit one by one.

  What’s more, the Lionfolk slowly but surely got closer to the duo, no doubt with ill iions.

  "Let's go," Yuel said. "He'll cage us if we stay here any longer."

  "I say let him. We just gang on him ihe cage."

  "You seem to be fetting he has an Aeromancer as his backup, with his ult ready to go."

  "ht, we don't wanna deal with that shit."

  Getting locked in a cage with a raging typhoon wasly their idea of a fun time, so they disengaged from the fight areated.

  Knowing Cato, the guy robably delighted with this result.

  Yes, flee in terror! irked. Fear my imperable defense!

  In the end, he and Matthew splendidly deflected the push. He was already prepared for the worst-case sario of dealing with Ents, but Yuel decided against that aggressive py for some reason.

  Iing. I expected that offense-addict to go all out. Cato recalled the chess match they had, where Yuel's biggest mistake was bashing his head over and ainst Cato's imperable defense. Summoning the Ents here would’ve been a simir case. It was the kind of offehat sounded much strohan it actually was.

  Looks like he learned a thing or two from our match. Good, good~ I'm always happy to teach people about the importance of respeg the enemy's defense.

  Both sides disengaged from bat, but the threat remained o didn't seem like Yuel nning to leave any time soon, which meant the wave will probably be much of the same.

  "Any ideas?" Matthew asked. "I don't see an easy way to deal with this duo."

  "Yeah, my her," itted. "I wonder if I just jump them and lock them in my ult, and then you ult them too. I doubt we’ll get a kill from that, but at least one of them will have to recall for sure."

  "Are you seriously suggesting such a risky pn?"

  "It's just a thought. But, from that tone, I take it you disagree?"

  "Yeah, 't say I'm a fan."

  "Figured.” Cato nodded. “After all, this goes against Esmeralda's Creed."

  "You make her sound like some sort of goddess."

  "Isn't she practically like that for you?"

  "No really." Matthew shifted his eyes away.

  "Heh, let's leave it at that." It was time for Cato to leave the ne. However, as things stood, he’ll have to return before long.

  This is such a big exp sink for me. Cato sighed. I have to at least farm a couple of camps before I return. But, once I do return, what’s ?

  Clearly, he and Matthew weren’t enough here. They needed a way to pose a bigger threat, to make sure these cocky attackers won’t even think about trying anything funny.

  But, was anybody avaible to lend them a hand here? William was locked in an intense duel against Gunz, so that was out of the question. And, simirly, Sonya was busy holding the fainst InformationBckhole. So, there was only one more pyer who was free right now, but...

  My, I really don't want to rely on this ky piece. Cato grumped. But, what choice do I have, right? Coach keeps f me to py with this fool, so I might as well put him to some use. Besides, it looks like Will doesn't want this brat anywhere near Bot for now.

  For the better or the worse, the circumstances aligned just right. Ronald has retly recalled to base in order to restore his MP, and he was still on his way back to ne.

  However, nobody was really waiting for him there. William preferred to tinue his duel with Gunz in isotion, so he pretty much shooed Ronald away.

  Holy, I’m not a fan of that decision. Cato thought. Will has lost way too much HP, so that duel is over as far as I’m ed. But, he’s stubborn as a bull. Sigh.

  Cato tried to vince William to stop this madness, but the guy refused to listen. And, ohis guy got like that, there ractically no ving him, Cato khat from experience.

  The only thing that’ll vince him is actually losing the duel. And, I won’t lie, a part of me is actually eager to see that happen~

  If William loses badly after disagreeing with Cato, then it’ll hurt his pride for the rest of the day. As a result, he’ll bee a much more obedient piece. Good, good~

  Though, it’ll be nicer overall if he wins. itted. This way, we’ll know we have a piece that shut down Stratus’ stro.

  Either way, regardless of the oute, there was a lot of data to be gained from allowing this duel to tinue. As such, Cato gave in and respected William’s selfish desires this time.

  Well, as they say, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Well, in this particur case, it’s borderlirash for me too, but I’ll have to pick it up anyway.

  “Ronald, e over to Mid.”

  “Oh, Matt needs my help?” Ronald asked. “Okay, I’m on my way!” He sounded so eager that it was easy to imagine him as an abandoned puppy that found a new home. After all, his own brother pretty much kicked him out of their ne. Sic~

  Well, I doubt he really feels bad about it. Cato thought. Knowing these two, they’re both equally eager to see how that duel in Bot pys out. Admittedly, I’m ied as well.

  Did Gunz really deserve the No. 2 spot that previously beloo William? At the moment, Cato was leaning toward “yes”, but it was hard to say for sure. So, hopefully, the oute of this duel will ahat ond for all.

  But, that's beside the point right now. Cato examined Mid again. What are you really up to, Yuel? Are you hoping to gain trol over Mid? I'm sure we both know that isn't going to work, not like this. So, what’s the cataybe there's no catd you're just trying to make our lives difficult for no good reason?

  Even back during his chess day, Yuel's pystyle had two distinctive traits. The first and most noticeable was his love for offense, which maed itself via fast piece development and early attacks.

  However, there was one more important aspect to his pystyle, ohat wasn't always obvious at first g was Yuel's insisteo find the best ossible to annoy his oppos.

  Now, THAT’S my kind of skill. Cato nodded in approval. I'm gd there are ood pyers out there who uand the art of frustrating the oppo~

  Though, with how serious of a fellow Yuel was, he probably didn't do any of it for his own fun. For him, striking the most unfortable spot in the most frustrating ossible was just strategy, nothing more. That's exactly how he took down Fiona in that oeful chess match that shocked everybody.

  So, he might be doing the same to us right now. Cato reasoned. He is stig to Mid because that's where he believes he'll frustrate us the most. And, he's right, This really puts me on the spot.

  The situation in Top was already occupying ind more than enough, f him to stantly hang out around Top Jungle in order to intimidate Bckhole with phantom ganks. And now, Cato also had to do something simir for Mid in order to disce the enemy's push, and he’ll probably have to be physically present on the se, too.

  So basically, you're trying to er me, right? Cato cluded. I 't jungle in peace when both Top and Mid are in such aositions. It's not like we're losing iher of them per se, but both nes are peting over my attention. Fun...

  And so, Cato had no choice but to tinue jungling while stantly looking out for both Top and Mid. In addition, he was also tasked with supervising VanishingFlower, that pesky little phantom. Really, Cato’s attention was all across the board here.

  bined, all of this pced a substantial amount of pressure on him. But, he was mentally prepared.

  This is like defleg attacks from two sides of the board at once. Cato thought. No big deal. I got it.

  On his way to farm the nearby Hyena Camp, he tinued monit the situations in both nes, searg for ways to turides in his team’s favor.

  Meanwhile, Ronald rendezvoused with Matthew in Mid. Together, they opened a joint atta the minion wave. And, it was a fairly strong attack, at that.

  Unlike Yuel, who had a proper defensive build, Ronald was stig to his disgusting power build. It was an unsightly build for a Support, but in rare situations like this, it did wonders for tipping the odds in his side’s favor.

  Thanks to Ronald’s uedly high damage output, the uation effectively became a 2v1 in the Leopards’ favor.

  So, how would Yuel hawo pes in one ne? Did he already have a line of py prepared for this situation? That'll be iing to see~

  DarkestCymore