Chapter 290: Brainstorm

In Nofe's mind, the priority order of the five heroes is as follows:

Dragon King (+ Police Woman) > Ryze > Jayce > Leopard Woman > Mang Seng

The reason Ryze, which has higher priority in mainstream opinion, is placed after Dragon King is mainly because Kuro plays Dragon King well.

The audience's label for Kuro is earthbound spirit, criticizing his playstyle as pure brushing, not roaming to help teammates.

But what people don't know is that when Kuro gets Dragon King, he immediately shifts from a pure-brush mid laner to a roaming mid laner.

As for why Kuro can adapt to such a huge change, Nofe knows it well.

Kuro looks honest and simple, but he actually has his own understanding of mid lane positioning, and he stubbornly insists on it—this patch perhaps isn't slow early on, but the fact is it's hard to finish the game before thirty minutes, so champions like Viktor and Snake Woman that are pure brush become meta picks; they are inherently early-game pure brush, late-game takeover picks, and if roaming slows his own development, affecting his late-game open Rui ability, that would be irresponsible toward the team!

Kuro's understanding is exactly that.

Meanwhile, Dragon King's positioning is completely different—it's not a pure brush, but a roaming role, a utility player's role, meant to support the Police Woman as a bodyguard.

So when Kuro gets Dragon King, he can very pragmatically and naturally change his playstyle—everything is done in service of the ultimate goal of team victory.

What earthbound demon? Kuro couldn't care less; match results are a player's best badge—can audience labels boost his value? Worthless junk.

Nofe has two other reasons for placing Ryze's priority after Dragon King.

One is that Dragon King is a complete system, and ROX plays it extremely skillfully.

Second, Kuro's Ryze is merely average; if a perfect score is ten, then Faker's Ryze would be a 9.5, while Kuro's Ryze is only a 7.5, but his Dragon King can score a 9.

Therefore, Nofe subjectively prefers giving Kuro Dragon King rather than Ryze.

But reality has a problem.

At this moment, there are five key heroes in play; if ROX's last ban doesn't ban any, then G2 is likely to also not ban any.

This seems advantageous for the blue side? After all, blue side picks first, and with first plus second picks they can take three, while G2 can only get two.

Actually, that's not the case.

Nofe has simulated this in his mind; if the five strong heroes are all released, then:

ROX first pick takes Dragon King.

G2 first pick bans Police Woman and takes Jayce.

ROX last pick can only take Leopard Woman or Mang Seng.

Because Ryze and Dragon King clash in position, and Leopard Woman and Mang Seng also clash in position, if ROX takes one of them they cannot take the other.

The result is subtle: although ROX has the advantage of securing two picks (three positions), they end up with only two strong heroes, while G2, picking later, can get three and perfectly dismantle ROX's Dragon King–Police Woman system.

If they pick like that, ROX is doomed.

What if ROX first snatches Ryze or Jayce?

Alright, G2 directly takes Dragon King plus Police Woman. ROX is also doomed.

What? G2 has been banning Dragon King all along and has never played the Dragon King–Police Woman system?

What a joke.

Even without SKT providing intel, Coach Nofe wouldn't believe that G2, which has developed so many miraculous systems, would actually not play the version's strongest system—stop fooling ghosts! The Dragon King–Police Woman system is something opponents dare not pick, and Nofe likewise dares not pick it.

G2's coach is too smart.

As long as ROX's third pick doesn't ban a strong hero, the result will definitely be a big loss for ROX.

What if ROX chooses to ban one?

Then G2's choice becomes unpredictable, with too many possibilities.

Nofe's brain is about to overheat, but time is limited, and he cannot consider every possibility thoroughly.

However, the general direction is certain.

Overall, if ROX's last ban bans a strong hero, the chance of loss is greater, but there is also a chance of no loss; still better than not banning any, which would certainly lead to loss.

"Last five seconds."

The referee's reminder sounded in Coach Nofe's earpiece.

On the LCK commentator's desk, several commentators were also worrying about ROX.

Paoxiao Di shouted loudly:

"The ban time is ending, ROX hasn't made a decision yet!"

"It wouldn't be an empty ban, would it?"

"Impossible! Coach Nofe seems to still be thinking!"

"Hurry up and decide!"

3...

2...

1...

With a chime.

ROX made its ban choice at the very last second.

The LCK commentators wiped their brows, sweating profusely.

Even the LPL commentators involuntarily let out a sigh of relief; Wawa said, feeling relieved:

"Playing this extremely? It seems Coach Nofe is under a lot of pressure!"

"That's definitely huge, after all we're currently behind by one point; if G2 takes another point… the consequences are unimaginable."

"Nothing to fear—just surrender if we lose another point."

"Surrender has been prohibited since October last year."

"Pfft… cough! Enough chatter—ROX's last ban extremely narrowly banned a Ryze just as the ban time was about to end!"

Behind the ROX player bench, Coach Nofe exhaled deeply, a faint smile appearing on his lips as he looked forward, as if trying to see through the barrier to the G2 player bench tens of meters away.

Now the pressure has shifted to G2's side.

Now it's G2 coach's turn to feel a bit of the brainstorm that Nofe coach just experienced!

Banning Ryze, but the answer that Nofe coach racked his brains to come up with to give ROX the maximum possible advantage.

However, Nofe coach's smile didn't even last three seconds.

G2 instantly banned a Jayce.

In an instant, Nofe, like a face‑changing performer, saw his smile vanish from his face, his expression becoming extremely solemn, his flickering eyes revealing his inner uncertainty.

G2 responded too quickly.

This is either well‑prepared, or they just randomly banned one?

Nofe would rather believe it's true, and is more willing to believe it's the former.

But now that it's come to this, Nofe has no room to maneuver, and can only let Smeb on the first floor take down the Dragon King first.

As expected, G2 instantly locked in Leopard Woman + Police Woman.

Nofe actually imagined G2 giving Leopard Woman to him; that way, even if the Dragon King + Police Woman system were dismantled, the Dragon King + Leopard Woman system would still be good, because Dragon King pushes the lane fast early, giving big help to Leopard Woman.

But he also knows this possibility is slim; G2 indeed snatched Leopard Woman.