20demayo Page 77
Page 77
"I didn't say anything, I just went along with it a few times," Fain shrugged, his expression nonchalant. As he spoke, Fain was also calculating in his mind—the matters of Piltover and Zaun had been properly resolved, and Bilgewater was at least free of other problems for the time being. Next, he would arrive at his home world, Ionia.
232 Legion
Ionia, located in the northeastern corner of Runeterra, is a vast archipelago situated in treacherous waters. These islands, forming an allied province, make up Ionia on this land known as the 'First Lands'. For many ancient reasons, the pursuit of balance has long been a core part of its culture, resulting in a blurred boundary between the material and spiritual realms. This is less pronounced in human settlements, and even more so in remote wilderness and dense forests, where the line between spirit and matter is so thin it's almost imperceptible.
While the blurring of these two realms might seem to suggest danger, in reality, despite the fickle magic and the dangerous yet wondrous creatures that inhabit this land, the inhabitants of Ionia have enjoyed a prosperous life for centuries. Different land spirits govern the growth of all things in their respective regions, and each village, led by its elders, enters into a friendly pact with the land itself. People serve the land, and the land sustains the people. This way of life, taking from the mountains and giving back to the mountains, has achieved a perfect cycle in this land.
It is precisely because of this cultural foundation and way of life that most of Ionia has indeed lost its so-called army. Even in renowned sanctuaries like Presidium, only guards are responsible for maintaining order. Ionia itself does not possess a traditional machine of violence. However, the numerous monasteries, martial arts schools, and dojos scattered throughout Ionia demonstrate that Ionia does not lack a tradition of martial arts; it has simply been gradually forgotten during the last century of peace, transforming it into a form of spiritual practice.
Today, a large crowd has gathered on the shore of Navori province in western Ionia. Dressed in traditional clothing and attire, people curiously gathered in small groups on the coastal highlands, whispering among themselves as they gazed intrigued at the massive, cold, and gleaming ironclad warship—the Leviathan from Noxus—anchored to the shore. Its portholes were jagged, emitting faint red light through the gaps. Three enormous smokestacks rose from its stern, and thick black smoke billowed from its boilers.
Long-standing peace and tradition had eroded most of the sense of crisis among the people of this land. But even so, when the first Ionian resident saw this thing appear on the horizon, they still thought they were seeing a monster. Only after the Noxian workers arrived and explained that it was a terrifying steel warship, the most astonishing achievement in Noxian naval engineering history, and that it had come to Ionia simply for exchange and learning.
"It's like a monster!" the people of Ionia exclaimed.
And located on the Leviathan—
"Commander, the War Stonemasons have brought new information." A Noxian dressed as a scout entered the meeting room and handed a letter to a waiter, who then passed the envelope to the man seated in the red-edged chair. Upon hearing the scout's words, Swain merely glanced at him, then nodded, took the letter, and dismissed him.
After tearing open the envelope, Swain examined it briefly, a hint of mockery flashing across his face.
Noticing the change in Swain's expression, one of the generals present asked with slight surprise, "What's wrong, Commander? Judging from your expression, are you not satisfied with the news?"
Upon hearing this, Swain also turned his gaze to the man beside him. That man was named Grans, one of the twelve generals of the Far Sight Legion, commanding all the war stonemasons in the legion. Just as mentioned before, he wasn't merely a craftsman on the battlefield, but a craftsman of war.
Noxus's War Stonemasons are scattered throughout Runeterra. They often set out before any legion begins its operations, or even before supplies are mobilized, breaking into smaller groups to infiltrate the target area and gather intelligence on everything from terrain, history, figures, traditions, and customs. All sorts of information are included and are the War Stonemasons' objectives.
Only after they have completed their intelligence gathering will the main Noxian army advance and set off. After completing their intelligence gathering, the War Stonemasons will also serve the legions in various roles such as scouts, warriors, and assassins. Due to the nature of their work, every War Stonemason is required to be bold and meticulous, and they hold extremely high positions in almost all Noxian legions.
Even in the Trevori Legion, known for its military prowess, the War Stonemasons held the same status as the Shieldbreaker Veterans.
It is precisely because of this that Frans' understanding of Ionia predates that of Swain. Even though Swain was the first to see this intelligence, based on the intelligence Frans had previously obtained, some other information could be deduced—the Ionians' sense of war was so weak that it was almost unbearable. Frans could hardly imagine what situation would cause his renowned strategist commander, General Swain, to feel a headache and frown.
Swain simply shook his head, slamming the letter on the table with a hint of helplessness, gesturing for everyone to pass through. Then, his voice tinged with coldness and boredom, he said, "I can only sigh. The weakness and stupidity of the Ionians have reached a point I can no longer accept. This is such an ancient land, yet I feel no desire for conquest or glory. Immersed in peace, perhaps the people here have forgotten that knives were originally for killing, not for dancing."
Upon seeing the message on the letter and hearing Swain's words, the generals burst into laughter after a brief moment of confusion.
"The Ionians were indeed raised in a honey pot! But you can't blame them, after all, the land here is incredibly fertile. When I first came here, breathing the air felt like being licked across the face by an old cow,"
The speaker was named Yonat, leader of the Assassin Division of the Far Sight Legion, skilled in stealth and assassination. His skin color revealed him to be non-Noxian, and his attire and the weapon hanging at his waist silently testified to his Shurima origins. Noxus reveres strength, and those with ability are given important positions. It is precisely for this reason that many young men from Ionia even reside within the Noxian army.
233·Arrival in Ionia
Swain observed and took note of his generals' excitement upon hearing the news, but wasn't overly surprised. The main reason was that Ionia was still far too naive in its understanding of war…
But naivety as it may be, does not mean that Ionia is weak.
Thinking this, Swain coughed lightly. Although the sound was soft, almost instantly everyone fell silent and turned their gaze to the host.
As the commander of the Far Sight Legion, the generals here might question Swain's military prowess, but they would never question his strategic acumen. And in Noxus, where all power is revered, the abilities Swain has demonstrated are enough to earn the deepest respect from every single one of them.
“The Ionians are weak, but Ionia is strong.” Swain glanced at the people before him, then fixed his gaze on the map of Ionia on the table. In fact, the map was still incomplete. Because on the other side of Presidium, in a region rarely explored by Ionian humans—that was the domain of the Vastaya and the wild nature.
However, for now, Swain isn't paying much attention to the other side of Ionia. He understands that once he conquers the humans of Ionia and makes them part of the Noxian Empire, the Ionians will naturally explore those unknown realms for the sake of the empire. This drive, this collective strength, this ability to bring together all people's abilities—that's the greatness of Noxus.
Whether they are Ionians, Shurimans, Vastayans, or even bandits and pirates, they can all become part of Noxus.
"The temples of Ionia record many ancient legends. Although many of these ancient legends have been distorted, we can confirm from the verifiable parts that the Ionians were not afraid of war, but simply forgot about it."
Looking at the crowd, Swain said coldly, "As war approaches, the Ionians will gradually remember why their weapons and swordsmanship were originally created. Once they realize this and recall those ancient things, whatever happens between them will seriously hinder the expansion of the empire. For the sake of Noxus, we must be cautious."
Hearing Swain's cold words, the people around him exchanged glances, then nodded and sat up straight to listen to what Swain had to say.
Swain had a good reputation within the Empire—in fact, it was very good. Emperor Darkwell was pleased that Swain could always complete the tasks he assigned quickly, the traditional nobles were satisfied that Swain could always generate substantial profits from the expanded territories in a short period of time through good management after a war victory, and the new nobles, or rather the soldiers of the legions, were satisfied that following Swain would bring them a great deal of merit and honor.
However, to work under Swain, strict adherence to orders is the most basic requirement—though this may sound harsh, Swain actually welcomes questions and suggestions. But once a plan is finalized, all unnecessary noise must be silenced, and single-minded execution is required.
However, Swain wouldn't resort to violence to prove his authority should anyone be outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant. In Swain's view, every citizen of the empire was a vital asset that shouldn't be wasted. Therefore, even disobedient madmen needed to be made to contribute their utmost value to the empire before their deaths. Afterwards, Swain wouldn't mind burying them as heroes.
After all, he had indeed made him give everything for the empire.
"The Imperial Navy will prioritize capturing the western island of Philol, establishing a military fortress as a springboard to cut off Ionia's maritime supply lines. Simultaneously, they will utilize the island's location to radiate influence across the entire western coast of Ionia." Swain, his mind clear, observed the numerous markings on the map. "Meanwhile, the main force of the land legions will launch a frontal assault on Navori province after landing on the west coast, aiming to seize as much land as possible and establish strongholds before the Temple of Eternity recovers, thus putting pressure on its spiritual core, Presidium."
"The Northern Fleet will land in Galin Province and completely blockade the western coast of Ionia. This will sow discord between the Vastayan and Ionian peoples. If necessary, certain promises can be made—the Flesh-toothed Beast tribe is a good target. Many Vastayan, who admire barbarity, do not agree with the harmony of the Ionians. Give them a chance to climb the social ladder, and they will make their own choices."
"If necessary, a scorched-earth policy can be implemented—but it must be done with caution." A cold glint appeared in Swain's eyes as he finished speaking—a scorched-earth policy, to put it bluntly, meant killing, looting, and burning everything. While this could greatly boost the fighting spirit of the legion's soldiers, in Swain's view, it would only increase the costs the empire would need for future colonization and spiritual dissemination. And more importantly, Ionia was home to many magical beings connected to human emotions, so Swain didn't want to create unnecessary trouble unless absolutely necessary.
"After each scorched earth policy is implemented, it will be reviewed three times to determine whether the scorched earth policy is necessary. These are my thoughts for now. Feel free to share any other ideas."
Upon hearing Swain's words, the people around him nodded in agreement and then began to speak, exchanging their thoughts and opinions.
While the Noxians were still busy making preparations, on the other side—
"Phew, I have to say, in terms of environment, Ionia is still the most nurturing place."
Standing at the bow of the ship, Faen, dressed in traditional Ionian shorts, stood with his hands on his hips, gazing leisurely at the approaching shore.
Although they were still some distance apart, the unique scenery of Ionia had already caught the eye of Fahn and Riven.
Knowing that her current master was from Ionia, Riven, who was traveling with her, also glanced at the scenery with some curiosity. Looking at the picturesque landscape, so clearly perceptible even from a distance, and the simple beauty that blended seamlessly with the mountains and rivers, Riven felt a pang of doubt—how could such a beautiful place have given birth to a lecherous monster like Fain?
----------
My grandmother had a gastroscopy at the hospital, where several polyps were removed. During a subsequent check-up, they discovered mucinous adenocarcinoma in the lesser curvature of the gastric antrum. She had a CT scan this afternoon, and luckily, it hasn't spread yet. I have to stay with her at the hospital, so updates might be a bit late.
234. The Tricky Ionia
Riven wasn't exactly familiar with Ionia, but she wasn't unfamiliar with it either. The main reason was that before even arriving in Zaun, Amyst's Runeblade Legion's next target was Ionia. And believing in the principle of knowing your enemy is half the battle, Riven had done her research on Ionia beforehand.
Although Riven herself wasn't involved, the Noxian war stonemasons were no pushovers. While ordinary soldiers weren't entitled to access such detailed information concerning the Empire's next strategic goals, Riven, as someone personally bestowed the Runestone Greatsword by Darkwill, still enjoyed many special privileges within the Empire. Even without detailed knowledge, as a Swordmaster Captain, she still gained insight into Ionia's understanding of war and combat.
In the past, Riven considered Ionia a bunch of cowards, lacking the indomitable spirit of Noxus. But now, in Riven's own view, Noxus's so-called spirit seems to have nothing to boast about. The reason, ultimately, is that the entire Noxus is firmly controlled by an invisible hand, from which it simply cannot break free.
Even though I've already left Noxus, I still have to come here...
Thinking this, a thought flickered in Riven's eyes, and she couldn't help but look at Faen beside her and ask, "Ionia is your homeland?"
“Yes,” Farn nodded.
"You also know that Noxus is about to attack Ionia?" Riven asked.
“Yes,” Farn nodded.
"Aren't you going to stop it?" Riven asked.
“Yes.” Farn nodded again, his face showing little expression, but rather a sense of casualness and calm.
But this only made Riven more confused: "You hate Ionia?"
“How could that be? I still really like Ionia.” Fain shook his head.
"Then why didn't you stop it?" Riven looked at Fahn with a puzzled expression, finding him rather puzzling. Since you like Ionia, and you know Noxus has ulterior motives, why did you stand idly by? Moreover, from another perspective, Fahn was capable of changing everything. At the very least, with his abilities, even through a deal, he could have persuaded that woman named LeBlanc—or rather, LeBlanc's true form—to stop the conflict with Ionia, thus buying more time to prepare for what might happen.
Sensing Riven's thoughts, Faen shook his head helplessly and said, "If only Ionia were as easy to change as you say... You may not understand, but a new era is dawning. Ionia has stagnated in harmony and resonance for thousands of years, and the peace it maintains now is just a mirage. In fact, as long as people exist, malice will not disappear. It will just be silently hidden."
“…I don’t understand.” Riven shook her head, her face full of confusion. Fain shrugged unsurprisingly: “I can see that—but don’t worry about it, because the main purpose of bringing you here this time is not for you to protect me.”
“I’ve never felt the need to protect you!” Upon hearing this, Riven rolled her eyes, then leaned against the deck railing with an indifferent expression, gazing at Ionia in the distance. “And to be honest, I don’t think there’s anything on this land that would allow me to let go of the past… I admit I’m a little troubled by some things from the past, but this is my first time in Ionia, and I can’t imagine you asking me to find some kind of mental cure here.”
Riven looked helplessly at Fain beside her.
Riven knew that there was something wrong with her thinking. And frankly, she felt quite helpless about it. She knew very well that her pain stemmed from the gap and shock between her past beliefs and her current perceptions of reality.
In Noxus, Riven didn't need to think too much; she just needed to fight hard, and under the Noxian system, she would naturally continue to improve—which is one of the reasons why Noxus could attract so many people from other races to come and join them.
If you are strong, it's easy to stand out in Noxus.
In this situation, and now having left Noxus, even just looking at the Rune Blackrock Greatsword in her hand, which once represented glory and honor, would cause Riven to feel genuine pain.
“You’ll see when we get there.” Faen shook his head, offering no further explanation—Riven’s connection to Ionia was far more complex than a simple war. It’s no exaggeration to say that in the original timeline, Ionia practically gave Riven a new lease on life. Even disregarding this original timeline rebirth, based solely on Riven’s shared spiritual connection with Ionia—the so-called Spirit Blossom—Faen felt it necessary for Riven to make the trip.
After all, in the universe-wide lore surrounding Riven's many skins, Spirit Blossom is a spiritual realm that clearly exists within the main universe's timeline. Although it's not actually Riven in the lore, but rather a skin with Riven's face created for the sake of monetizing the game, both its lore and personality are closely connected to Riven. Once things are settled in Ionia, he will inevitably need to leave some foundations for balance there, just like he left Zeli in Zaun, Caitlyn in Piltover, and Sarah in Bilgewater.
As he pondered, a serious look appeared in Fain's eyes.
Looking across Runeterra, Zaun is undoubtedly the easiest to change—kill a bunch of people, crush Piltover's unrealistic fantasies, and that should be enough. Bilgewater, though larger, can be revitalized as an adventurer's city if those outlaws are dealt with properly and the area is developed.
But Ionia is different—hundreds of years of peace have created a powerful mental inertia.
Especially as someone who grew up in Ionia, Fane knew better than anyone how powerful the force called 'tradition' had become in Ionia. Ordinary preaching was useless; even if you presented the facts, or even if the facts had already occurred, they would still refuse to change—those pedantic creatures entrenched in the Temple of Eternity.
As he thought this, and as he got closer to the shore, two familiar figures came into view.
235. The Balance Cult
On the shore, he waited quietly, clad in blue spirit armor, his eyes filled with tranquility.
As the biological son of Master Kushuo, the Eye of Twilight, Shen has been burdened with high expectations since childhood. Yet, he has never succumbed to these expectations, always focusing intently on everything that might come his way. Today, however, gazing at the merchant ship approaching in the distance, or more precisely, at the man standing on its deck, even Shen couldn't help but feel a complex mix of emotions.
"Is that the person Master was talking about?" Standing beside Shen, a white-haired young man of similar age to Shen, wearing a red robe and black armor, also showed a hint of curiosity in his eyes.
Upon hearing Jie's question, Shen nodded and said, "Yes, it should be him... the disciple of the dance master Sonia, the genius dancer who always believed that Noxus would pose a war threat to Ionia. I saw him two years ago in the Presidium Seekers' Capital. Although it's dance, it's more about undisguised power than harmonious beauty. He's out of place in Ionia... Although he's very talented and calm and mature, he has an unexpectedly stubborn streak in this regard."
"As for what happened later... he was attacked by a sea monster during a study trip together and went missing unexpectedly." As he said this, Shen's eyes showed a hint of curiosity: "And just recently, Venerable Karma of the Temple of Eternity suddenly prophesied about the return of Faen. Although we don't know why Venerable Karma would notice a young man who is about our age, since this is the Venerable's will, then the wisdom within it is not something we can easily fathom—we just need to carry it out."
As he spoke, Shen shrugged helplessly.
In fact, while Ionia reveres harmony and resonance, not everyone is born with this inclination. On the contrary, temples, martial arts schools, monasteries, and sanctuaries often place new apprentices on a three-year arduous training course to hone their character. Many of Ionia's renowned masters also gradually transformed from naive youths into compassionate elders.
In this situation, according to Shen's impression, this person named Faen had become almost obsessed with certain things about the future. No matter how much the masters and sages advised him, he was unwilling to give up the fighting spirit and killing intent in the dance.
Upon hearing Shen's words, a hint of curiosity surfaced in Jie's eyes. His gaze towards Faen also became more inquisitive. After all, in Ionia, a society that values harmony, the ruthless pursuit of battle is never encouraged. The fact that someone was still willing to teach Faen under these circumstances could only mean that Faen's talent in certain areas had indeed reached a point where someone was willing to invest considerable effort in his instruction.
While Shen and Jie were still looking at Faen, Faen, who was standing on the deck, was also looking at them.
Faen was naturally familiar with these two. Shen, the former, was considered a veteran champion in League of Legends. Although his popularity had never been high, his player base was quite stable, and he occasionally appeared in competitions. In reality, although Faen hadn't had much interaction with him, he was always considered a rising star within the Presidium's cultivation circle.
After all, his father is the current leader of the Order of Balance, and Shin does indeed possess some talent, having mastered the intricacies of spirit blades at a young age and being able to clearly perceive the flow of spiritual energy. While this is partly due to the weak veil in the Presidium region, it also indirectly proves Shin's extraordinary talent.
Standing beside Shen was the white-haired youth, Zed—the Master of Shadows, Zed. However, for now, he was a disciple of Master Kusho, named 'Jie'. Jie was a classic example of someone who rose through the ranks from humble beginnings, serving as a servant in the Order of the Shadow at its headquarters, handling chores and training from a young age. Due to his exceptional talent and unwavering perseverance, Master Kusho discovered him and took him on as a disciple. Because Jie's personality was more decisive than Shen's, it was believed that Jie was more qualified to become the next Eye of Twilight.
Although these two fellow disciples are still rivals, they actually have a very good relationship. This is mainly due to the fact that both Jie and Shen are humble people. When Jie became a disciple of Master Kusho, he faced a test, the test of which was to defeat Master Kusho's own son, Shen. At that time, Jie was named 'Goufu', and he was thin and weak. In Ionian slang, his name was quite lowly, similar to a dog's leftovers, the kind of name that sounded easy to raise.
At that time, Shen was not only a disciple of Master Kushuo, but also an elite disciple of the Northern Academy of the Balance Sect. Although Shen was exhausted after training until midnight, Goufu, who had only been a menial laborer for two years, was still no match for Shen. For several hours, he was repeatedly knocked down and defeated, but even though the pain brought tears to his eyes, Goufu continued to try again.
Finally, Goufu seized an opening and defeated Shen with an uppercut. During this process, Goufu's talent and swordsmanship impressed Master Kushuo, who chose to take him as a disciple. Later, when Goufu truly began his training, he realized that Shen had seen Goufu's determination and knew his father's character. That's why he deliberately revealed a flaw after a long period of preparation, allowing his father to accept Goufu as a disciple.
It is no exaggeration to say that everything Zed, the future master of shadows, possesses—both in terms of power and influence—originates from Shen's kindness at this moment.
It was precisely because Goufu was also a grateful person that, after adopting Jie as his name, Shen and Jie remained inseparable good brothers.
Although Faen was familiar with both of them, to be honest, most of his knowledge of them came from League of Legends-related games, novels, and comics. In the real world... at least in Faen's memory, he hadn't had much interaction with them.
Shen was alright, since Master Kushuo frequently visited the Hall of Eternity in Presidium, and his teacher, Sonia, was one of the most famous scholars in Presidium; they must have at least met once, if not become acquainted. As for Jie, he hadn't even met her. After all, compared to Shen, Jie's background was far too humble—even though his teacher was Kushuo.
While Fain was still thinking, Riven raised an eyebrow and then placed her hand on the longsword behind her.
"Those two guys have been staring at you...are they enemies?"
236. Opinions on Abstinence
Noticing Riven getting serious, Fain waved his hand, signaling Riven not to be nervous.
"Don't rush, let's see what they have to say first."
Hearing Fain's words, Riven nodded silently. Although Fain's order was simple, Riven still sensed that Fain probably knew them, but wasn't sure why they were there. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a matter of 'waiting to see what they have to say first'.
As they pondered, the ship docked. Shen and Jie, seeing Fain landing, weren't surprised and simply walked over. Upon getting closer, Shen asked, "You must be Master Sonia's disciple, Mr. Fain."
“It’s me. You must be Master Kushuo’s disciple Shen, and Jie, right?” Faen reached out his hand.
Farn didn't harbor much ill will towards Shen and Jie. However, upon hearing Farn so easily name them, a hint of surprise flashed in Shen and Jie's eyes. They exchanged a subconscious glance, and after a brief exchange of astonishment, Shen nodded, then extended his hand to shake theirs, saying, "It seems Mr. Farn knows us quite well, so we won't stand on ceremony."
With that, Shen stated frankly, "We have come here to carry out Venerable Karma's decree to take you to the Temple of Eternity. Although the specific reasons are not clear, according to Venerable Karma's description, it seems to be related to the influence you have had on the spiritual realm."
“No problem, I was just about to head to the Temple of Eternity.”
Seeing that Farn was so cooperative, Shen and Jie breathed a silent sigh of relief.
Although Fane gave off a gentle impression, Shen, as a spiritual practitioner, could clearly sense the immense, albeit subtle, pressure emanating from him. This undoubtedly indicated that Fane's achievements in the spiritual realm had far surpassed theirs. According to Shen's memory, he hadn't felt this way the last time he saw Fane—could it be that Fane had gained some new insight during this time? Shen didn't know, but he didn't dwell on it too much.
"Speaking of which, who is this...?"
After learning about Faen's situation, Shen turned his gaze to Riven beside him.
Although Faen dressed Riven in traditional Ionian attire due to their arrival in Ionia, both Shen and Jie could clearly sense from her overall demeanor and the enormous Black Stone Greatsword on her back that Riven was not Ionian. Furthermore, having returned from overseas and accompanied Faen on their journey to the Temple of Eternity, it was best to confirm her identity to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings.
“Riven, a Noxian,” Fahn said.