Legends of Runeterra

A silent and dark dungeon.

"Boom~!"

The heavy iron door slowly rose, the torches on the walls of the dungeon were quietly lit, and four figures slowly walked in.

“Ding-dong~!”

Even though Jhin couldn't move at all, the heavy and cold chains still bound him.

"Zhe, we really..."

"Shen, think about the ordinary people he slaughtered. Is it enough to just kill him?"

"..."

Facing Jie's scrutinizing gaze, Shen was silent for a while, and finally took a step back without saying a word.

Kayn stood aside, looking at his master Jie with curiosity in his eyes.

Facing the 'Golden Demon' whose crimes are countless, but still able to make the 'Eye of Twilight' hesitate, Kayn is looking forward to the punishment.

“Kayn.”

"Disciple is here, Master!"

"Watch carefully and learn well. This kind of punishment is worthy of being listed as one of the banned series within the 'Shadow Sect'!"

"Yes, Master!"

Jie nodded and immediately pulled down the switch on the wall.

"Crack! Boom!"

The heavy wall slowly rose up, and four muscular men, all over two meters tall, slowly walked out.

...

"Hoo~!"

Looking up at the silent night sky, Kayn breathed a long sigh of relief.

Although the three of them left the dungeon before the punishment began, the image of the four men surrounding the 'Golden Demon' from four directions had already been engraved in Kayn's mind.

"Quack! Master is still too modest. Such a terrible punishment is enough to surpass all the tortures in the Shadow Sect!"

From now on, no matter what, you must never become an enemy of that adult!'

Recalling that when asked by Shen, Jie said lightly, "Master Li En inspired him."

At this moment, Kayn felt infinite awe for Li En in his heart.

...

"Ramen is here, Brother Li En~!"

"Click~!"

With Akali's soft cry, two bowls of steaming ramen were placed on the table.

A rich aroma spread along with the mist. In the milky white pork bone soup, the light yellow noodles made from wheat were intertwined with the fat in the soup.

Fresh shelled prawns, sliced ​​barbecued pork, and vegetables blanched in boiling water are all neatly laid on top of the noodles.

So, a bowl of carefully made ramen was placed in front of Li En Li En.

"Thank you, Akali, it looks even more delicious than last time!"

"Hehe~! Ramen should be eaten while it's hot, Brother Li En, try it!"

"OK, all right."

Use the spoon in your left hand to scoop up the soup, use the chopsticks in your right hand to pick up the noodles, and put the ramen covered with soup and side dishes into your mouth together.

"How is it, Brother Li En?"

“This is the best ramen I’ve ever had!”

Faced with Li En's undisguised praise, Akali's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, and a bright smile bloomed on her pretty little face.

"Hehe~! As long as you like it, Brother Li En!"

"You've been busy for so long, you should eat soon!"

"Mmm Good!"

On the not-so-big dining table, the two of them ate ramen bite by bite, and Akali talked from time to time about her life after Li En left the mountain gate.

Seeing Li En listening attentively, she felt a warmth she had never felt before welling up in her heart.

Ever since Akali could remember, she had seldom eaten with her mother Meimu and father Tano. As the leaders of the "Pruning Branches" lineage, they spent much more time outside than in the mountain gate.

The few times when the family gathered at the dining table were also boring and depressing experiences where we strictly adhered to etiquette - 'no talking while eating, no talking while sleeping'.

As the two were eating and chatting, Shen and Jie came outside the yard.

Looking over the simple fence at the two people sitting at the small table, Shen was just about to step in.

"Crack~!"

Zed grabbed Shen's arm.

"Hmm? What's wrong Zed? What's wrong?"

Facing Shen's puzzled expression, Jie rolled his eyes helplessly.

"Shen, are you kidding me? What's going on in there right now, can't you see?"

"what!?"

“Okay, let’s go and don’t disturb Master Li En and the others.

Let's find a place to eat and rest first, and then report to Master Li En tomorrow."

"Oh fine."

Shen vaguely understood what Jie meant and rubbed his fingers awkwardly.

Before leaving, Shen subconsciously glanced at Akali, who had a bright smile on her face that she had never seen before inside the mountain gate.

Thinking of this girl who had grown up under his care, and the strict Master Uncle Meimu, he made a decision in his heart.

"who!?"

Akali suddenly raised her head and looked out the window.

Glancing at Shen who was discovered by Akali, Jie rolled his eyes in annoyance, and disappeared into the shadows the next second.

Shen Ze smiled at Akali a little embarrassedly, and the next moment he sensed the breath left by Jie specially, and went straight into the spirit world to follow him.

Li En, who had already sensed the presence of his two fellow disciples, pretended to know nothing and looked back outside the empty yard.

"What's wrong Akali, was there anyone outside just now?"

"No... No, I was mistaken, they are just two small animals."

"Well, that's it."

Li En nodded, not breaking Akali's little lie.

Akali lowered her head with a slightly red face, concentrating on the ramen in front of her.

“Ss ...

As the boiling pork bone soup and ramen entered her stomach, a faint warmth spread throughout her body, and Akali's chaotic thoughts gradually calmed down.

"Who cares? I'm out now anyway. If Shen really tells mom about me, I won't go back and just stay with Brother Li En!"

Having made up her mind, the last trace of fear in Akali's heart quietly disappeared.

But then she remembered the carefree and elusive manner in which Shen and Jie left.

For a moment, the girl couldn't help but feel a hint of envy rising in her eyes.

Yes, although it is hard to believe, in Ionia, a nascent land full of wild magic, Akali is the leader of the "Pruning" lineage of the Order of the Balance and the daughter of Master Meimu.

From the moment she was born, she was destined to have no connection with magic.

Frankly speaking, in Ionia, Akali's situation is even rarer than the general sense of "magic genius".

Even though Akali is a martial arts genius and has mastered the hook and sickle and kunai to perfection, "magic" is always a huge mountain weighing on her.

As a woman of high rank in the Order of the Balance, Akali naturally has a broad vision as she lives in the Land of the First Born.

Therefore, Akali realizes more clearly than ordinary people that there is an insurmountable gap between having "magic" and "not having magic".

Looking at Akali, who suddenly became quiet, did not speak for a long time, and silently ate ramen, Li En felt a little doubtful.

"What's wrong Akali, you seem... worried?"

"...Brother Li En, do you know...what exactly is 'magic'?"