Half a minute earlier, the enemy jungler had ganked mid. Kobe Gray barely made it out alive, slipping away with only a sliver of health left.
To everyone watching, it looked like he'd recalled and gone back to base.
Instead, a battered Yasuo quietly cut through the jungle and reappeared in the bottom lane, just in time to throw up a Wind Wall and block a fatal ultimate aimed at Miss Fortune.
"Thank you, Brother BetonKobe!"
Pookiemoné's voice lit up with relief as she realized she'd been saved at the last second.
Across the lane, the Ezreal player clicked his tongue. His little trick, baiting her into typing so he could strike, had been perfectly timed… and completely ruined by Yasuo's sudden arrival.
Still, Yasuo's health bar was dangerously low.
A smirk crept across Ezreal's face as he shifted his focus.
"Fine. I'll just kill you instead."
He blinked forward with Arcane Shift, lining up a precise Mystic Shot to finish Yasuo off.
Kobe didn't panic. His fingers moved with quiet precision, dashing through nearby minions and slipping cleanly to the other side of the Wind Wall.
Ezreal's skill slammed uselessly into the barrier again.
Without hesitation, Ezreal flashed forward to chase…
…but just as he crossed over, Yasuo slid back behind the wall like water slipping through fingers.
"Are you kidding me?!" Ezreal muttered, frustration creeping in.
Every ability he threw was swallowed by that thin curtain of wind.
Still, the Wind Wall wouldn't last forever.
Once it drops, you're dead.
The thought steadied him, and a cold smile returned.
"Hmph. That's what you get for mouthing off."
On the other side of the screen, Kobe's lips curved slightly.
The moment the wind wall vanished…
Steel sang.
"Step Forward Slash!"
"Steel Tempest!"
"Whirlwind!"
In a blur of motion, Yasuo knocked Ezreal into the air and instantly followed with his ultimate. The combo was clean, fluid, almost effortless.
Kobe hadn't racked up kills early, but his farm had been flawless. His gold lead showed, his damage hit hard.
"I've been waiting for the wind," he murmured under his breath. "What were you waiting for?"
Ezreal's health plummeted to a sliver.
But Yasuo wasn't in great shape either.
Gritting his teeth, Ezreal fired one last Q. If it landed, it would end the fight.
Kobe didn't flinch.
A faint white shield flared around Yasuo's body.
"Damn it, his passive!" Ezreal slammed his keyboard.
In fights like this, duels between masters, everything was decided in a heartbeat.
Yasuo stepped forward.
One clean strike.
Ezreal fell.
A shutdown bounty popped up on the screen.
"I think I've taken enough students today," Kobe typed calmly. "Time to collect tuition."
"Brother BetonKobe, you're amazing!"
Pookiemoné clapped excitedly, her two rabbits bouncing along with her, her earlier frustration gone in an instant. Even through the screen, her energy was infectious.
Off to the side, Caleb glanced at her stream, then back at Kobe, a mix of admiration and envy in his eyes.
The next ten minutes passed in a tense stalemate.
No major fights broke out. The enemy team had a balanced advantage across the board, while Kobe's team relied heavily on him alone.
If they wanted to win, someone had to make a move.
"Dragon's up," Kobe said quietly.
At his signal, both teams converged on the river.
Caleb circled wide with Lee Sin, looking for the perfect angle. In his mind, he was already picturing a flashy kick that would win the fight, and maybe impress Pookie while he was at it.
But the enemy saw it coming.
The moment he dashed in for an R-Flash, Ezreal reacted instantly, shifting his position and ruining the angle.
"Ah—!"
Before Caleb could recover, he was surrounded. Their support tried to follow up, but a hook landed immediately.
"Don't fight! Back!" Kobe pinged rapidly.
Too late.
Lee Sin and the support dropped almost instantly.
The enemy team surged forward.
Kobe and Pookiemoné retreated toward mid, barely staying ahead.
"Get ready," Kobe said, his tone sharpening.
Pookie blinked. "Ready for what? There's only three of us left…"
They reached mid lane. Minions flooded in.
Yasuo began weaving through them, dashing back and forth, building momentum.
"Forget the rest, kill Yasuo first!" Ezreal signaled.
The enemy team rushed him together.
Kobe's eyes flickered with intent.
Perfect.
"That's exactly what I wanted."
His fingers moved in a blur.
Yasuo vanished…
…and reappeared in a flash of gold.
A sweeping gust of wind exploded outward, catching all five enemies off guard and lifting them into the air.
"EQ Flash?!"
"No way!"
"That was insane!"
"Kobe!!"
They'd grouped too tightly in their chase, and paid for it.
"Last Breath!"
Yasuo's ultimate locked them in place.
Pookiemoné didn't hesitate.
Her ultimate roared to life, bullets raining down in a relentless storm.
"Hahaha!"
To the enemy team, her laughter sounded almost cruel as their health bars melted under the combined assault.
"Pentakill!"
The announcement rang out, clear and triumphant.
With that one fight, all the frustration from earlier came pouring out.
Pookie grinned and typed back, "Ezreal, you remind me of Michael Scott."
A pause.
"…Who?"
Kobe chuckled. "She means you're completely clueless."
Laughter erupted on their side. Even Caleb and Miles couldn't hold it in.
On the other end, Ezreal had nothing left to say.
From that moment on, the game snowballed.
With momentum firmly in their hands, Kobe's team pushed forward, closing out the match amid cheers and chatter.
"Victory" flashed across the screen.
Pookiemoné didn't hesitate.
"Brother BetonKobe… can I add you as a friend?"