Chapter 178 - On the Knife’s Edge

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Running for dear life, Luocheng was at a complete loss for words.

He’d daresay this was all Shallow Dream’s doing. With this arrangement, she could guarantee his demise, with Riven soon to follow.

With the two of them out of the way, the enemy could break right into their base, easily making up for the loss of the Baron.

If it were him playing Vayne, he’d also choose to go after Riven alone, while the rest of his team combed through the jungle for the enemy’s pesky ADC!

‘This Shallow Dream must be a woman,’ Qianqian thought to herself.

To send four people after Yu Luocheng’s head… only a woman could hold so great a grudge, could be so cruel in her vengeance.

Luocheng was being hemmed in on all sides. His pursuers were all elite players, skilled at cutting off an escape. Rather than just chasing after his tail like a bunch of fools, they first moved to seal off every route, and then began to draw the net tight.

At first, Luocheng had been hoping to break through Sona’s position, but saw to his annoyance that she was with Orianna. If Sona paired her ultimate skill with a full skill combo from Orianna, they could casually take him out of commission.

Lee Sin was already biting at his heels, while Shen was pacing about with Randuin’s Omen at the ready. He was trapped in hell, with no escape!

‘They’re about to take our tower, along with my life!’ Luocheng was getting desperate.

If the enemy team laid siege to their towers, he’d take nearly a minute to respawn at his current level. That one minute would be more than enough time for them to take back control of this game.

No way! They’d fought too hard to give it all up now!

Eyeing the Red and Blue buffs he had on, he knew it was time to play this mana-based Ezreal to the limit!

The jungle was where Ezreal could kite the best. All the conditions were in his favor—the four pursuers were about to become his prey!

Yu Luocheng had zero intention of giving up a tower without a fight. It was time to take things to the extreme—time to dance upon the knife’s edge!

This would be the most jaw-dropping, breath-taking display of kiting anyone had ever witnessed before!

Lee Sin was a pretty good shot. His Sonic Wave found its mark, and he followed it with an intrepid Resonating Strike which carried him across the distance. Pressing E twice, he sent out an orange-tinged shockwave which Slowed Ezreal down.

Luocheng noted Shen’s location. It would take a moment for him to join the fight… unless he still had his Flash.

It was hard to dodge Shen’s Flash-Taunt, and if he got caught by it, that would basically be the end of the chase.

Bolstered by the Blue buff, Ezreal activated his Muramana and let Lee Sin have it! Together with the incredible damage boost from Infinity Edge, a few bursts from him were enough to ruin the Blind Monk’s day.

He’d come flying in confidently to deliver Ezreal his beating, but a volley of skills and basic attacks had suddenly knocked off almost half of his health, since Lee Sin had been going for a team-fighting build.

A late-game Vayne was a damage powerhouse, but an Ezreal with this kind of gear was no slouch either. Even a full Tank like Shen might not be able to long withstand a focused barrage from him.

Luocheng attacked on the move. Seeing that Lee Sin was maneuvering for a good angle to use Dragon Rage on him, he immediately responded with an Arcane Shift, changing the direction of the knockback. Lee Sin’s ultimate skill instead ended up helping Ezreal to get further away from him and Shen.

With his Taunt skill, as well as the Slowing effect of Randuin’s Omen, not to mention being a hard-to-kill Tank champion, Shen represented the greatest threat to a kiting play-style. He could not be allowed to get within reach of Ezreal.

***

Ding! Ding! Ding!

As Ezreal fought for his life through the jungle, he continuously issued pings to his team, instructing them to push the Top lane and apply more pressure there.

His teammates caught on quickly enough. Jarvan, Zyra and Ryze weren’t just sitting around watching the show. While Ezreal was keeping everyone occupied, forcing them to spread out to contain him, the van of the army was advancing down the Top lane.

The enemy team had no vision up there, so they wouldn’t be able to spot this incoming attack. Luocheng’s eyes lit up. With luck, they could use this one wave to push all the way to victory. He just needed to keep the enemy champions on him long enough, and poke them hard enough!

***

Mystic Shot, another frost cloud. 1.4 seconds later, another Mystic Shot issued from the darkness. Then, Ezreal somehow vanished from sight again.

Ding-ding!

Lee Sin pinged his teammates frantically, indicating that Ezreal was running towards the western Wolves camp.

Shen closed in from the north. Orianna and Sona were holding the junction where the Wolves camp led out to the Middle lane.

Soon, all four of them met up at the Wolves camp, storming in to see what was there. All they found was one big wolf and two smaller ones snarling and snapping amongst themselves, but there was no sign of Ezreal!

Pew!

A Mystic Shot streaked in from the long corridor west of the Wolves’ cave, striking the already badly wounded Lee Sin.

Ice-cold mist billowed outwards from him, removing yet more health. Lee Sin grimaced even worse than usual.

This Ezreal was too sharp. He seemed to have a clairvoyant sense of when people would gain or lose sight of an area.

Ezreal had just used his Arcane Shift not long ago. Mindful of his flagging health, Lee Sin hadn’t chased after him as aggressively as before, but he’d clearly seen Ezreal rounding the corner towards the Wolves.

To think that he’d immediately jumped away the moment Lee Sin lost sight of him, circling back around from the Blue buff and slipping into another passageway entirely!

To pull off such deceptive tactics, leading enemies astray by causing them to misjudge your position, required a deep understanding of vision mechanics in the game.

Lee Sin had little health left. If he charged towards Ezreal now, it would only end with his death. He was already trapped, anyway—there was no reason to let him get a kill on the Jungler.

Shen used Shadow Dash to pass straight through the wall, and found Ezreal standing right in front of him.

Orianna acted immediately, sending her Ball to Shen to project a shield. The moment Shen used Randuin’s Omen to Slow Ezreal down, she’d unleash her ultimate skill to yank him back towards them!

Xiao Bei, Lin Dong, and Qianqian were in a panic now. There was still one second remaining on Arcane Shift’s cooldown. If Orianna got off a skill combo on him, along with a few hits from Shen, it would be the end of the line for Ezreal!

As Shen rushed heroically towards him, Ezreal stayed as cool as a cucumber. Letting Orianna have a Mystic Shot as well meant his Arcane Shift became available right away.

In the instant before Orianna used her ulti to pull him in, Ezreal slipped through a dimensional rift, disappearing from the spot.

Next moment, 600 units away, Ezreal stepped out from another portal, crouching slightly upon touchdown, and watched as Orianna’s ulti activated uselessly around the corner. His eyes danced with mirth.