Chapter 285: Draconic Shield

He picked up two wards.

He was Level 5 now, so he had the advantage in levels. However, he’d expended Ignite. It could still go either way. The damage and bonuses from Ignite were crucial.

Leaving his base, Yu Luocheng did not immediately seek out Zhao Tinghua. Instead, he got right back to farming.

Tinghua also seemed to be worried about running into him, and was tip-toeing around the place with particular care. Each time he finished clearing out a creep camp, he’d immediately melt away into the shadows.

Luocheng enjoyed a bit of advantage in terrain: There were three creep camps around the Red Buff. As for Tinghua, having already taken down the Blue Buff, the only creeps on his side were the Wolves.

As such, he was forced to trespass on Luocheng’s side of the jungle.

They spotted each other several times, but never actually got into a real fight. They were both gunning for Level 6.

One had to admit that Tinghua was a lot better at timing the creep camps than Luocheng was. More than once, Luocheng arrived just a little too late, and found that the Golems or Wraiths had already been wiped out.

Slowly but surely, both champions approached the cusp of Level 6.

One thing was certain: No matter how they were going about their farming at the moment, once they reached Level 6, the violence would begin in earnest. This was the calm before the storm. They were amassing every last possible scrap of strength in preparation for the final battle at Level 6!

An air of tension spread throughout the jungle. The Wraiths and Golems were both being slaughtered as soon as they respawned. Luocheng knew that Tinghua was at the Golems camp right now, most probably as good as Level 6 already.

Similarly, clearing out these Wraiths finally raised Luocheng’s Lee Sin to Level 6. Inexorably, he gravitated towards Tinghua’s position. Tinghua advanced to meet him, showing not the slightest hint of fear.

As he reached the lair of the Lizard Elder, Luocheng spotted somebody slipping into the brush.

With only his Barrier but no Ignite, it would be practically impossible to prevail against Tinghua. Luocheng threw a half-hearted Sonic Wave in his direction, then immediately turned aside to ford the river instead.

While it was true that a fight would be unavoidable, now that they had both reached Level 6, going in without Ignite was out of the question. Considering how good Tinghua was with Lee Sin, he was guaranteed to always deal the maximum possible amount of damage. Without Flash, Luocheng didn’t expect to dodge any of Tinghua’s skills.

There were only those few creeps around the place. Trying to rise beyond Level 6 would be slow going. Hiding was not an option, either—that would just allow Tinghua to hog all the gold and XP. Luocheng just continued to make aggressive overtures, trying to poke down Tinghua’s health.

Besides the two wards he’d brought along for some outplay potential, Luocheng also warded a strategic location in advance. This would keep him well-informed of Tinghua’s movements.

Tinghua had the advantage of Ignite, and was eager to get the action started. Sadly for him, Luocheng was too slippery to get caught, but neither would he allow him to farm in peace.

***

Ten more seconds!

Luocheng was keeping careful track of his Ignite timing, and continued to stall for time.

No doubt Tinghua was also aware that Luocheng’s Ignite was about to come off cooldown. He began to pursue Luocheng doggedly, intent on killing him off within these last ten seconds!

As always, he opened with ‘Sonic Wave’. Luocheng wouldn’t be able to dodge this one.

Luocheng had been careening all over the place. He had to hand it to Tinghua for managing to line up a shot on him like this.

There were still maybe six seconds to go. Naturally, Tinghua wouldn’t let such an opportunity go to waste!

Soaring in to attack, Tinghua chased after Luocheng, striking him twice with his basic attacks!

Flawless control as always—Tinghua’s basics were incomparably solid. Every step and every strike was perfectly executed, and not a single motion was made in vain.

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Luocheng whipped around and retaliated with his own Sonic Wave, a punch, Tempest, a kick, and then Cripple!

As the counter-attacker, it was obvious that Luocheng was doing more damage. It appeared that Luocheng was gaining the upper hand here, but he hadn’t forgotten that his Ignite spell was still four seconds away!

There was a searing flare of heat. Sure enough, Tinghua had used Ignite on him straight away!

Without missing a beat, Luocheng tossed a ward over the nearest wall, and then made his exit.

He’d quaffed a Health Potion the moment the fighting broke out. Under the effects of Ignite, it would only heal him for 75 HP at most, while an Ignite spell cast by a Level-6 champion would deal a total of 170 damage or so.

(Translator’s Note: The Summoner Spell ‘Ignite’ also applies a ‘Grievous Wounds’ effect which severely reduces all healing received.)

He’d suffer 100 net damage, and meanwhile Tinghua could use potions to regain 150 health over these same five seconds, producing a health difference of 250 between them. It was impossible to win.

Luocheng couldn’t let Tinghua have his way. He had to survive these next three seconds!

The instant he’d placed that ward, Tinghua had matched his move with unbelievable speed. They seemed to arrive in the Dragon pit at almost the same time!

Tinghua continued to press the attack, and Luocheng continued to trade blows with him as he fell back. However, the continuous damage from Ignite was producing a marked difference between their health totals!

Fighting as he withdrew, Luocheng frowned and made an estimate of the time until Tinghua’s next Q would be ready. He moved Lee Sin towards the Dragon.

This time, Luocheng didn’t provoke it—that would just cause him to take more damage. It wasn’t the right situation to use that tactic again.

***

Everyone was watching the screen intently. No one dared to look away for even a moment.

Upon the screen, two master Lee Sin players darted about nimbly with the ebb and flow of battle, fists like a hurricane, feet like thunder.

What was truly amazing was how their fight was carrying on right beside the Dragon!

“Both Lee Sins are sticking close to the Dragon as they exchange blows. Have any of you ever found yourselves in a situation like this? Attacking the Dragon by accident?” Aijing’s face was a mask of amazement.

Despite fighting around the Dragon like this, both players were still every bit as agile, neither one slowing down at all. Weren’t they afraid of hitting the Dragon by mistake?

Keep in mind that the Dragon didn’t just dish out heaps of damage, it also Slowed down your attack speed! Whoever hit it would be in serious trouble!

It was no less exciting than a fight at the edge of a bottomless chasm—a split-second’s carelessness, and it would be all over for you!

“Everyone must be wondering why Team Skycrown’s coach keeps circling around the Dragon. Part of the reason is to disrupt Blood Eagle’s actions, but he’s also using the Dragon’s body to block the next Q from his opponent!”

Using the Dragon to block a skillshot? What a unique concept!

Indeed, looking at the situation, what with the colossal Dragon right smack in the middle, it was easy to see that using Sonic Wave here would most likely hit the Dragon instead!

At first, everyone had thought that Luocheng was going to provoke a monster into joining the fight again, but no one had been expecting him to use it as a shield!

Truly, these were tactics on a scale that would never even occur to most people!

***

Stalling for time. What Luocheng was really doing was delaying Tinghua’s use of his Q-skill.

With the current state of his health, if he got tagged with ‘Sonic Wave’, then sent flying with ‘Dragon’s Rage’, with ‘Resonating Strike’ to close in again… the total burst damage should be more than enough to end his life. He had to keep buying time until his own Ignite was ready.

… And the best way to stall for time was to equip a Draconic Shield! Interposing the Dragon between them like this, not only would it block ‘Sonic Wave’, it would also deter the use of ‘Tempest’!