Classmancers - A MOBA Esport Story - Part 3

Vol.17 Ch.6: Nervous Warding

"Well, it'll definitely disappoint me if Ben's defense can't fend off the Absolute Duo," Yuel admitted. "But, that's the extent of it. In the end, this is Ben's debut game, so chances are that things won't go that smoothly. I'm aware of that."

"Welp, that's something ya should've told him first before placing these giant expectations on him."

"Is that so?" Yuel glanced at Ben.

"W-Well..." Ben clammed up. "I guess it's more reassuring to know that the expectations aren't too big. Otherwise, the pressure is too much..."

"I see." Yuel sighed. Looks like I still have a lot to learn. Communication is such a complicated topic.

With that sorted out, Ben proceeded to purchase 3 normal wards, the maximum amount a player could carry at one time. Spending so much money on wards prevented him from buying any HP Potions for the early-game but he considered it a good investment and even Yuel agreed.

I won't need to recover any HP if I just stay out of harm's way. Ben reasoned. The wards should help me with that.

After making the purchase, Ben hurried to the jungle. He had three important wards to place and he had to do it before the enemy enter the jungle. So, time was of the essence.

The first two wards were a no-brainer. Ben placed one near the enemy's Wolf Camp and the other near the central entrance into Top Lane. These two were the standard meta spots to cover.

However, this time, Ben had one more ward at his disposal. So, where should he place this one? There were multiple options.

I think the most important is to prevent surprise invades. Ben reasoned. Last game, I think they rotated from around here. So...

The upper half of the jungle was properly warded in the last game too, yet the enemy managed to sneak by regardless. This implied they passed through the middle of the jungle.

Kai placed wards in the lower half of the jungle in both games, so the middle is the only option left.

Therefore, Ben decided to seal that exploit. The enemy won't get a chance to unleash another devastating invade, not under Ben's watch.

But, as he approached the area, his blood turned cold. There was another figure ahead of him!

"A-Ah, i-it's their J-Jungler..." Ben stuttered as he delivered the news. He thought that he managed to calm down by now, but the mere sight of AbsoluteWinner sent a chill down his spine!

H-He's the one who killed Vincent last game. Gulp.

AbsoluteWinner was arguably the strongest player of the strongest team in the region. Furthermore, while the majority of the Leopards prioritized defense, Challenger was an entirely different beast.

But, was it right to call him an "aggressive" player? Not quite. That description better described AbsoluteChallenger, the other half of the Absolute Duo. That guy was a classic and straightforward attacker, the type who submitted opponents through sheer force.

He's also a dangerous player, but nowhere near as dangerous as Winner. Ben gulped again. H-He is also aggressive but in a smart, methodical way.

If Challenger was a hot-blooded gladiator, then Winner was a cold-blooded assassin. This boy was like a killing machine. Each of his strikes was swift, decisive, and deadly.

Against normal aggressors like Challenger, Ben usually knew how to handle himself. These guys were strong and scary, but it was possible to deflect their attacks with careful defense.