“Looks like all minions get stronger and not the lane in which the tower is taken down.”

I murmured as one of my arrows bounced off a minion’s shield. They looked different now. I expected them to be just bigger but they were now more developed. The shields were thicker, their weapons more menacing, and their coordination unnervingly refined.

I loosed another arrow, aiming for a gap in the armor. The shot struck true, sinking into the minion’s shoulder. It staggered but didn’t crumble, hefting its blade with renewed resolve. Their attacks caused our minions to crumble beneath their attacks. If Aurora and I were not here to counterattack, they would have destroyed our tower easily just by themselves.

“This won’t do. Aurora, how is your mana and mental power?”

Aurora cast a quick glance over her shoulder, her breathing steady but laced with subtle exhaustion. The battlefield demanded relentless focus, and even she couldn’t escape its toll entirely. She brushed a strand of sweat-dampened hair from her face, her brown eyes still gleaming with determination.

“I’ve been pacing myself so I am nearly full. What is our plan?”

She replied, launching another Arcane Stream to thin out the advancing minion wave.

“Gökbörü. Find Blanche and Thalia. They must be in the enemy jungle. Guide them towards the drake.”

The wolf pup exited out of my shadow, running towards the thick jungle. After we took care of the bottom tower and pushed our lane to the second tower, I ordered Blanche and Thalia to invade the enemy jungle, taking neutral l camps on their side to weaken enemy Ganker and possibly catch it. However, I did not expect the power of enemy minions.

“We will push this lane as fast as we can and move to the drake. Our bottom tower should go down since no one was there to defend it. That should strengthen our minions a little bit more.”

Aurora nodded, her gaze locked on the advancing wave of enhanced enemy minions.

"Understood. But is it okay for us to sack our bottom tower?”

“It’s a calculated trade,” I replied, drawing another arrow and loosing it at a shield-bearing minion. The arrow slammed into its shield, forcing it to stumble but not fall. I clicked my tongue in frustration.

“The drake will give us a party-wide buff while the tower going down means will strengthen our minions. We can also catch enemy Ranger and Support if they insist on pushing after taking our tower. 2 vs 4 should be an easy victory for us.”

Aurora didn’t argue further. She had trusted my strategies before, and this would be no different. Her staff flared as she began charging a stronger spell.

“Then let’s make this quick. I’ll clear a path with this. After that, I’m dry for high-tier spells until I recover.”

I nodded. “That’s fine. We just need to break their momentum for now.”

Aurora unleashed the spell, her voice ringing clear as a cascade of meteoric orbs rained down on the enemy minions. The impact was devastating, shattering the front line of their wave and forcing the remaining minions into disarray. As if on cue, a faint howl echoed from the jungle, signaling Gökbörü had found our allies. That pup moved fast—almost too fast for his size. His presence would ensure they knew where to go without wasting time.

We backed out before heading down to make sure enemy mage couldn’t see where we were headed.

“A member of dragonic subspecies… It will not be easy to take down.”

She voiced her concerns as we walked through a shallow swamp. My armor was watertight but Aurora looked extra displeased with her shoes getting muddied yet she didn’t loudly complain.

“That’s right. The drake actually spawn slightly later than other neutral camps but I waited until now so we can regain some of our strength. I also gave the Dragonic Slayer title so it should be fine.”

Aurora sighed, the mud clinging to her boots with every step. "I hope you're right. A miscalculation here could mean losing both the drake and our lane pressure. That'd put us in a rough spot."

I smirked, nocking another arrow as we moved cautiously through the swamp. "Trust me. This plan hinges on timing and positioning. We just need to coordinate with Blanche and Thalia to ensure we control the area when the fight breaks out."

Aurora nodded, her staff glowing faintly as she prepared a defensive ward around us. "It’s just… with enemy minions being this strong, we’re walking a tightrope. If they capitalize on our absence, we’ll lose momentum."

"True," I admitted, scanning the trees for any sign of the enemy ganker. "But the Drake buff will give us a decisive advantage in the long run. That’s worth the temporary risk. Besides, if we encounter trouble, we retreat and regroup. No need to die for it. We have one life, they have infinite."

I appreciated Aurora’s concerns. Both Thalia and Artemeni accepted every decision I took unless it was dangerous for me but Aurora wasn’t like that.

A familiar bark echoed from ahead. Gökbörü's sapphire eyes gleamed as he emerged from the jungle, his white fur barely marred by the environment. Behind him, Blanche and Thalia followed.

“We managed to clean the entire enemy jungle. No sign of enemy ganker though.”

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Blanche reported, her voice cool.

“What will we do, Champion?”

Thalia asked.

“We will be taking down the drake and moving to the bottom lane as four. Blanche since you are the Ganker you will be its main target. Thalia will focus on shielding you while I and Aurora will deal damage. Gökbörü will scout the area in case of enemy champions.”

We arrived at the Drake’s lair, a shallow cave with glowing runes etched into the rocky walls. The air grew heavier, charged with faint traces of mana. At the center of the chamber, the drake slumbered. It was slightly larger than a bus with legs as thick as tree logs. It lacked the wings and intelligence of true dragons but honestly, it was probably stronger than the early bosses I fought at Chimera Garden.

The drake stirred as we approached, its scales shimmering with an iridescent hue that reflected the faint light of the runes surrounding its lair. The creature's head, adorned with jagged horns, lifted slightly, one amber eye opening to survey its intruders. Its claws dug into the rocky floor, a low rumble echoing in the chamber as it exhaled.

"Looks like it won't let us get the drop on it," Aurora muttered, tightening her grip on her staff.

I nodded, signaling the team to take their positions. "That’s fine. We have the advantage of preparation. Blanche, get ready to draw its attention."

The drake’s eye locked onto Blanche as she stepped forward, her rapier raised. Her cool expression betrayed no hint of hesitation. "Understood."

Thalia stood just behind her, her hands glowing faintly as she began weaving protective barriers. "I’ll make sure she stays standing, Champion."

Aurora’s staff flared, and she began murmuring an incantation, readying a spell to strike as soon as the fight began.

I nocked an arrow, my gaze fixed on the drake. "Gökbörü, keep an eye out for enemy champions. Signal us if you see anything."

The white pup barked once, dashing off into the shadows with surprising speed. His presence reassured me; he’d alert us to any ambushes before it was too late.

With everyone in position, I gave the signal. "Let’s do this. Blanche, engage!"

(The first bottom tower is destroyed. Your minions strengtens.)

A notification appeared in my vision just as the drake fell.

(Your team has slain the Fire Drake.)

(All of your team acquires passive skill Drake’s Heartbeat. The rhythm of the drake’s heartbeat reverberates through your soul, fortifying your resolve.)

(All stats increases by 5.)

(All attacks have a 10% chance to deal bonus critical damage, scaling with the Drake’s slain power. You have slain a level 1 drake.)

(Whenever a teammate deals a critical hit, nearby allies gain a temporary speed boost for 2 seconds.)

“Alright. Blanche, take Gökbörü and cut the way to the second enemy tower. Aurora, Thalia you are with me. Let’s gank those suckers.”

We made our way back through the swamp, the damp air thick with the tension of what lay ahead. As we emerged onto the battlefield near the enemy's second tower, the scene was already chaotic. Blanche’s precise strikes left enemy minions reeling, while Gökbörü darted between them, snapping at their heels and creating openings but it was obvious that the level 2 Ranger and Support were too much for them to take on by themselves.

I nocked an arrow, activating Armor Collapsing Claw. The familiar hum of power surged through my hands, the arrow glowing faintly with energy designed to pierce through defenses. The Ranger turned toward the disturbance, their eyes widening as they spotted us.

“Too late,” I murmured, loosing the arrow.

The battle was ours.

(You defeated Level 2 Ranger. Level 3 Ranger will spawn in 1 minute and 15 seconds.)

(You defeated Level 2 Support. Level 3 Support will spawn in 1 minute and 15 seconds.)

(Your team destroyed a tower.)

(Enemy minions will be strengthened.)

The second tower was tougher and hit harder than the first one but we managed to take it down. The problem now was…

“Goddamn it, I can’t believe we killed a drake but can’t deal with fucking minions!”

Damn, minions were so powerful that our minions couldn’t stand a chance. What was worse was we also couldn’t take them down effectively!

The main culprits were the armored minions. They wore what looked like shabby power armor which made them stand taller than me. When I tried to snipe them the arrow I shot was reflected by some kind of energy shield and hit me. I clicked my tongue and tapped into Gökbörü's mana reserves to create a massive ice wall that covered the entire bottom lane.

"Aurora, go back to the middle and let the enemy minions push and take our first tower. We need stronger minions. We are not in the early game anymore. They aren't important."

Aurora frowned.

"Do I need to be in the middle for that? The enemy will push by itself. Wouldn't it be better if we stuck together? "

I shook my head. She wasn't wrong but there was something she was missing.

"Our minions can't put up a resistance. If we leave them to themselves we end up with a massive minion wave we can't deal with. I need you to thin it down. Blanche will group up with Artemeni and take down Gopchump Mother. It should reside around the top lane on the opposite side of the drake. Thalia, you are with me. Around 5 minutes next Drake will spawn. I need you to finish your tasks and return there. But remember your life is a currency I can't waste. Understand? "