Chapter 5: An Unseen Strategy—The Support Core Build!
Chapter 5: An Unseen Strategy—The Support-Centric Core!
Cheng Xuan’s mind raced through every possible scenario.
This 470% increase was not just about mechanical skill but a significant boost in his brain’s real-time judgment and crisis response.
Among the four, it was known that Sylas and Xin Zhao had no flashes left.
Moreover, Xin Zhao lacked any unconditional displacement.
Approaching from behind, a piece of information favorable to IG’s bottom duo was clear:
There were no minions blocking the way!
No need to worry about skills being intercepted by minions.
Then, the priority was to kill Xin Zhao first!
Cheng Xuan’s eyes locked on the screen as he feigned throwing a Q to control and dashed straight at the incoming Alistar.
Seeing Lux’s back turned toward him, Xin Zhao immediately relaxed his guard and strode forward boldly.
“I’m going to burst him down!” WE’s mid laner Shanks said in a low voice. His Sylas had just recovered from a weakened state and unleashed a thunderous combo on the fragile Aphelios, while Wink quickly cast a heal.
Remembering to switch to rapid commentary mode.
Sylas retreated from under the turret and couldn’t pursue.
Chasing behind Ezreal, he unleashed a flurry of auto-attacks.
“Trying to escape?” Cheng Xuan’s thoughts were exceptionally clear now.
A rapid combo of skills rained down on Xin Zhao like a sudden storm.
“Wink, what are you doing? If you don’t die, this round will be a clean sweep for Xuanbao!”
Both of their abilities could be dodged with proper positioning.
“Who said my Xuanbao can’t perform? Come out and take your beating!”
Aphelios’s health: one-third remaining.
“No, he healed! I’m diving the turret! Who can add some damage?” WE mid laner Shanks saw the damage was insufficient and had already drawn turret aggro.
Among the four, the highest burst was from Sylas; Ezreal’s burst was inadequate, Xin Zhao was controlled, and Alistar’s damage was minimal.
Lux had already secured three kills, skyrocketing her kill streak to 12 stacks. WE’s bottom lane had nearly lost all lane presence.
“I’ll add the damage!” Elk gritted his teeth and pressed E—Arcane Shift—with force, Ezreal closed the gap on Aphelios, firing a W-Q combo followed by an auto-attack to finish him off.
“Guys, I just beat my wife, grabbed the property deed, sold the house, and bought IG to win—did I do the right thing?”
Alistar, having tanked the turret twice, was down to half health and had no choice but to flash out of turret range, only to be hit again by the turret at the very edge, his health nearly depleted.
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A seemingly straightforward four-versus-two turned into a dazzling exchange through the exquisite coordination of IG’s bottom duo, ending with a one-for-one trade between Aphelios and Xin Zhao. WE’s trio retreated under their turret.
“Xuanbao, my Superman!”
Wink, though he hadn’t last-hit many minions, had at least procured the Noonquiver—30 attack damage and 15% attack speed.
A shimmering aura surged with inescapable magic, firmly binding Xin Zhao.
Piercing through Xin Zhao’s chest, he was instantly killed!
“A beautiful feint and flank!” the commentator exclaimed loudly.
Coordinated perfectly with Lux’s Q-E-A combo.
“I can’t hold anymore, I have to leave!” Missing shouted.
“Do you even understand what a support-core is?”
The commentator took a deep breath.
“This four-versus-two round ended in a stunning one-for-three for IG, with Lux securing a triple kill!!! Well played! Shaqima!!”
A fragile support relentlessly chased the enemy bottom duo, like a starving tiger with no restraint.
But the damage was undeniable.
“I’m super! Xuan!!!”
Cheng Xuan didn’t hesitate and chased beyond the turret!
“What? He’s still chasing? Shaqima actually chose to continue the pursuit!!” Outside the arena, commentators Jide and Rita were already ecstatic.
Once Sylas’s skills were ready, a burst combo could instantly kill him.
Everyone thought it would end there.
“Burst down Aphelios! Kill Aphelios and then retreat!” WE’s voice chat descended into chaos upon seeing Xin Zhao fall.
Meanwhile, the live chat went silent, stunned for several seconds.
Lux’s delicate feet, wrapped in exquisite armored boots, barely touched the ground as she leapt, her staff glowing intensely, unleashing a powerful, blazing magical blast.
Cheng Xuan’s fingers moved lightning-fast, instantly mastering the ultimate skill.
...
Without flash, he had to retreat now.
Both players had just expended their summoner spells, leaving a vacuum.
But the fragile Ezreal and Alistar had tanked turret shots down to critical health.
The turret had already struck five times, its damage terrifyingly high.
---
“Lux has gone mad!!”
Every wave was executed flawlessly; a single misstep could have ended this incredible 2v4, which ultimately concluded with a one-for-three.
The commentator, breathless, ended the small skirmish analysis.
With flash and heal accelerating their retreat, they barely escaped turret aggro, but their health was reduced to a sliver by IG’s sixth member—the turret.
A suffocating silence filled the air.
“Just a little more!!” The commentator noticed IG’s plan to instantly kill Xin Zhao. Eyes glued to the screen, he shouted, “If Xin Zhao dies, there’s a chance to turn the fight!! Is there any damage left?!”
“Lux is relentlessly chasing WE’s critically low bottom duo! Alistar turns to hook but Lux flashes to dodge! Her skills are ready again! Lux throws Q... no, it’s a W! She baited Ezreal into repositioning, then sealed off his retreat with Q—so cunning! Perfect Q! At the same time, she roots both Ezreal and Alistar, follows up with E, and takes down low-health Ezreal! She keeps chasing!! She won’t let the barely alive Alistar escape!! Dare to come under my turret, prepare to be trapped!! Kill streak is now eight stacks!”
“Hey!! Demacia!!”
“Ghost... does this support look like a war god to you...”
Meanwhile, WE’s team voice chat was in uproar.
Boom!!
This newly introduced support seemed unwilling to let them escape, striding boldly beyond turret range.
“Auto-attack triggers passive radiant light! With eight stacks of kill streak adding 40 ability power! Another auto takes down Alistar!!”
At that moment, the death of enemy minions leveled Lux from 5 to 6.
With all her skills on cooldown, her auto-attack alone couldn’t kill the half-health Sylas.
In the next instant, Lux suddenly turned and cast her binding.
Lux, using the turret and the flawless coordination of IG’s bottom duo, instantly burst down Xin Zhao, forcing the turret’s damage onto other enemy champions, dodged Alistar’s hook with flash to avoid counterattack, baited Ezreal with W, and then sealed off their retreat with Q.
Within nearly a second, Xin Zhao, already at three-quarters health, plummeted into a perilous state.
“Kill Xin Zhao first!!” Cheng Xuan shouted loudly as he threw a debilitating skill at the close-proximity Sylas.
Then, an overwhelming flood of question marks filled the entire screen.
Every face turned ashen.
Some even imagined the perfect voice line for this moment.
A four-versus-two turned around and was counter-killed three to one by a single support—how’s that for gameplay?
After a long silence, Elk forced out a sentence through clenched teeth:
“I fucking get it now—IG is playing the support-core strategy this game.”
(End of chapter)