Classmancers - A MOBA Esport Story

Vol.5 Ch.7: Defense That Sets up the Offense

Think. Think! Yuel took a deep breath. The match wasn't over yet. There still had to be something he could try. If there's even the smallest chance of mounting a comeback here, Yuel will find it.

To deal with Howard's tough defense, Yuel's team first needed momentum. Simple tricks won't work here. Any easy opening in the enemy's formation was a potential trap, just like the one which got Lars killed. Tactics alone won't be enough. Even after coming such a long way from being a total rookie during the entrance exam, Yuel still didn't have a way to pierce through Howard's defense with strategy alone.

Power and momentum, that's what the team needed. Once they seize the initiative, they'll be able to pressure the enemy team into submission.

Positive momentum should also inspire everybody to play better. Right now, Roi lagged behind as Dark Knight, Dan didn't get any chances to deliver decent ganks and Julia turtled too hard. If everybody continues this way, the team will never make a comeback.

Something had to change. Right now. Fortunately, there was one player who harbored the same feeling as Yuel: Lars. That goof was the keyman here. Even without momentum, Lars's spirit didn't waver, he was dead set on beating Taison even after dying twice.

Therefore, Lars had to be the one to spark a turnaround in this situation. He'll have to drag the team out of this predicament and carry it to victory!

Unfortunately, it wasn't that simple. Gunslinger's mid-game was too weak and Lars has started lagging behind after dying twice. His power curve will stabilize again in the late game, but dragging the game until that point was bad news. Once late-game hits, it'll be game over for sure.

But, there was one way. It was a risky approach that went all out, but it had a chance to pay off.

"You said you need more power, right?" Yuel asked.

"Yep. Just a little bit more DPS and I'll be able to beat Tai for sure!"

"And, you'll be fine with it even if it's demonic power, right?"

"Hoho, sounds edgy as heck. Whatcha got?"

"Something that may become our last chance," Yuel explained the gist of his idea. "For now, make sure you always stick close to a teammate so the enemy doesn't catch you isolated. We'll have to slow down and play defense for a while, but then..."

It was a gamble that might not pay off, but they reached a point at which taking risks was necessary. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Hmm, Howard squinted his eyes. It seemed the enemy resorted to defense because their attacks didn't work. Is that it? Yuel no longer sees a road to victory?

It took a long time to reach this point, but it seemed like Howard's defensive plan finally crushed out the enemy's fighting spirit. When faced against an impenetrable defense, the enemy felt like they were bashing their heads against a wall when they attacked. The harder they hit, the more it hurt them. Therefore, at some point, they were bound to lose the will to continue.

This applied all the more to Yuel's aggressive team, which was in total disarray at this point. Roi and Dan underperformed all across the board and Julia turtled for no reason. Yuel probably didn't even bother to address any of that and kept issuing orders as if everybody was alright.

No wonder Yuel's attacks didn't reach Howard at all. As long as Yuel's teammates were in a turmoil, their performance was bound to be lackluster. No matter how many times Yuel thrust his spear, it'll never break through Howard's shield as long as the spear was unsharpened. Will Yuel realize that at some point?