Chapter 125: Normal Match (2)
"H-How did you do that, sir?"
The jungler couldn't hide his surprise. As a jungle player, he was more interested in Raina's capabilities than the results of the match.
"Is Raina jungle the way to go?"
Normally, Raina was a glass cannon ADC who died to jungle monsters easily. However, this Raina could kill the monster in two seconds when it would normally take around seven to ten seconds.
Judging from the result, she seemed like a viable option. She could be a hidden OP (overpowered) character.
"Ah... Sorry, I hit too many targets... I'm sorry," Almond scratched his head while apologizing. He knew how detrimental killing the jungle monster was for the jungler.
"Oh... I see... because you hit too many targets..."
The jungler stared at the sky dumbfoundedly. He looked like a person with no purpose anymore.
"How am I supposed to jungle now..."
The support came up with an idea.
"How about I help the jungler out for a bit since it turned out like this? Raina, try to survive a bit on your own. Since you're a higher level, it'll be doable."
It wasn't a bad idea.
'By myself?'
The only problem was that this was Almond's first game, and he had to lane alone for the first time.
[Hurry up! The soldiers are about to clash.]
He had to decide quickly. Almond decided he'd try surviving alone.
"Alright, I'll go."
He had to face off multiple enemies alone again. This felt like deja vu.
— Pro solo Almond...
— He even started Battle Large as a solo squad LOL
— He's 1v2 in his first game as ADC?!
— Haha, this is the life of a star!
***
Clash! Clank!
When he arrived at the lane, the soldier minions were already clashing.
"Oh? He's here."
"Only one?"
The enemy ADC and support were already killing the allied minions. As Almond approached, the two whispered to each other.
[Summoner, should I put some targets up?] Raina asked as soon as she saw the enemy players.
She was asking to prevent the same mistake with the wolf from earlier.
Almond hesitated.
'The targets get smaller as they increase in number.'
He could hit the tiny targets, but it was a safer bet to increase the target size since they were moving targets.
"Give me around ten."
He reduced the number from fifteen targets to ten.
[Ten? Alright.]
Swoosh.
Ten blue targets appeared above the enemy summoner and minions. They were as big as a hand. Now, hitting them all quickly and consecutively in a row was possible.
***
The enemy bottom duo was confused.
"Huh? Why are there so many targets?"
"Yeah, was this even possible?"
Raina normally didn't put up this many targets.
"Doesn't this just fire back?"
The enemy ADC mockingly laughed. Many targets didn't necessarily mean a good thing. Most of the time, it was harder to land combos and reduced the overall damage.
[Since there are two enemies, it's better to fight safely.]
Raina continued to advise Almond.
[It becomes difficult if one of them focuses on hitting you.]
As she said, the enemy support approached him and crossed the center line. They came closer, but not enough for Almond to hit them.
"The balls on you for coming alone. I won't let you get any exp."
There were several minions surrounding him, but none of them attacked the enemy support.
"Argh!"
"Urk!"
They were busy fighting with each other. The minions were programmed to fight each other by default and only attacked other champions if they attacked an allied summoner.
"Alright, alright. Let's see."
The enemy support was holding a large staff.
[Cuifan - Sorcerer of the Sulfur Swamp]
The enemy champion was Cuifan, a mage. It was a champion Almond knew. This champion summoned eerie creatures and commanded them to attack enemies.
"Moan!"
Every time it summoned something, it made an uncomfortable noise.
Squirt.
A black swamp, large as a monster, appeared before Almond. From the swamp emerged a large toad.
"Croak!"
The sorcerer laughed out loud.
"Have a taste of this disgusting toad, Raina!"
"Urgh..."
The swamp toad didn't seem easy to approach just by looking at it. Interacting with it in virtual reality was no better.
— Urgh... LOL
— Looks like Almond can't handle gross things!
— Ah, I can't resist this. Bring some rice!
— The perfect side dish.
Some viewers with a better tolerance made fun of Almond, but Almond's expression didn't change. Just then, the toad spat out something disgusting at Almond.
“Crooooak!”
"!"
He wasn't sure if it was saliva, mud from the swamp, or vomit. One thing was for sure. He didn't want to be hit by it.
Tak!
Almond reacted quickly and dodged to the left.
Chiiik...
Smoke came up from the spot where Almond previously stood and the ground melted.
Pang!
Almond's blue bow silently quivered.
An arrow was shot.
Thwack!
The arrow landed perfectly on the center of the toad's forehead. The low HP monster disappeared immediately.
"Oh, not bad?"
The summoner didn't look surprised at all. He could summon as many toads as they wanted. As long as the summoner had mana, it was possible to summon more and more.
The summoner started reciting a spell again. A different toad came out from the swamp.
“Crooooak!”
It fired some more vomit and continued to repeat this.
'This isn't easy...'
The support was annoying. Almond had to last hit the minions to earn money, but the toad was in his path.
"Croak!"
The toad came out again. Almond dodged left and right. Eventually, he eliminated the frog by shooting at it. He had survived, but didn’t get anything in return.
Chiik... Chiik...
The acid was melting his surroundings.
'It's limiting my space.'
The environment was getting smaller and smaller. He would get hit by the acid if this continued.
— It's so gross how it melts the ground.
— Oh shit!
— He has good reactions though.
— It's 1v2 for now! You can do it!
— Disgusting toad...
— Ew…
He could step on the melted ground if he wanted to, but it would greatly reduce his speed and HP. Then, he would be prone to getting damaged by the enemy support and ADC.
'I can't keep dodging like this.'
He had to survive as long as possible because it was disadvantageous to fight 1v2. However, if this continued, the entire environment would become a swamp. He would fall and die.
And he wasn't even earning gold because he couldn't last hit the minions. Eventually, he would die and not be able to afford any items. If that happened, the game would be in jeopardy.
"Look at his face! Hahaha!?How is it? Gross, right?"
The sorcerer seemed pleased, watching Almond suffer.
"Raina, look sadder!"
It was understandable. Most people picked Raina because of her looks.
— That guy is crazy.
— He knows how to have fun.
— You gotta play norms like this to have fun.
[Should I teach you about my dash skill?] Raina asked Almond.
He hadn't leveled up a skill yet from leveling up earlier. Since the enemy was targeting him, Raina advised him to level up the dash skill.
[If you have a dash skill, you can move toward the sorcerer and attack him. Of course... the enemy ADC will attack you.]
A dash skill... It sounded good, but would he be able to utilize it properly?
[It's easy to activate. The Link Movement is just rolling forward. If you roll quickly, you gain movement speed and attack.]
"The dash skill is... rolling?"
— LOL As expected from a low tier champion.
— She's acting as if she's teaching him how to teleport LOL
— Oh no... Raina...
— Yeah, that's what a low tier character is all about!
"Roll."
It was better than nothing.
Almond decided to bet on this rolling skill.
"Alright, I'll learn it. And change the target to above the sorcerer."
[Alright.]
After learning the rolling skill, Almond turned his gaze to the sorcerer.
"Ahahaha! How is it!? Huh? Bring some rice! Hurry!"
The sorcerer rambled on as if it was a skill in the game. His lips were moving, but he was set in place.
He knew Raina's range and never crossed the middle line.
'It won't reach.'
Pang!
Almond fired an arrow to try it, but it faltered right before the sorcerer.
"Kahahaha!?You don't know your range? As an ADC!?"
No matter how Almond fired, he couldn't shoot beyond the set range in the game.
'I only have one chance.'
Almond decided to face the toad's attack head-on and charged forward.
Tak—?
"... Huh?''
Cuifan suddenly stopped in his track. He was surprised to see the archer charge toward him, but his surprised look turned into a smile.
He smirked with a thick smile, "Is this a suicide mission? Hey, gunner! Back me up!"
He asked his ally ADC for support. Once Almond approached them, they could both target him and kill him. All Raina had to do was survive, but she couldn't resist and crossed the line.
But—
"I'm killing you," Almond replied with a smile.
Suddenly, countless targets appeared before the sorcerer.
[20 targets]
Twenty targets the size of a nail appeared.
'Are you crazy? You're making the targets this tiny?'
The sorcerer thought Almond was trolling. How would it be possible to hit all these targets?
Instinctively, Cuifan knew something was wrong. His instincts were correct.
Swoosh!
Almond pulled his bowstring as he grew closer to his target.
Pung!
Suddenly, a target exploded.
And the next one.
Paang!
Two targets exploded.
Then a third one.
Paaang!
Since he hit three in a row, the mana explosion passive came into effect.
[30% HP reduced]
Cuifan received a warning message.
"Kugh! H-How is it so quick..."
Three targets exploded, but that wasn't all. The enemy archer was shooting at the targets quickly with 100% accuracy. The blue bow trembled like a wild tide and continued firing.
Pubububung!
Four, six, nine... suddenly, eleven targets exploded.
Pung!
The second and third explosions occurred.
[80% HP reduced]
Cuifan's heart started to stop in fear. He felt it would be over if he were hit again.
"Hey! Hey! Don't just CS! Come over here and help!!!"
Cuifan screamed, hiding behind the toad he summoned. The toad blocked Almond's path, but Almond didn't care. He charged forward.
“Croooak!”
The toad barfed something out.
'Now.'
This was the time to use his rolling skill. Almond quickly threw his body to the ground and rolled.
Splash...
The toad's vomit fell behind Almond and he received some damage.
[Skill. Rolling. Activated.]
[Movement speed increased by 20%]
[Bonus attack damage 30]
As soon as he rolled, he received a buff. Almond took this opportunity and pulled his bowstring as far as he could.
Creak…?
He aimed at the target on the back of the fleeing Cuifan. The blue mana arrow rested on his bow and glowed.
Wooong...!
Even after rolling, his pose was still and steady as he released.
Pang!
The bright blue arrow flew towards Cuifan's back.
"H-Hey! Help!"
"I'm coming! But why's your HP..."
Before the enemy ADC could finish their sentence…
Tang!
The twelfth target exploded along with a mana explosion.
Pung!
The sorcerer's head exploded.
[First blood!]
This was the team's first kill.
1. CS is the abbreviation of Creep Score. It means to last hit creeps for higher gold.