Luke walked through the marketplace, which covered a sizable area. People streamed along the streets, making the place exceptionally lively.
Ionia truly lived up to its name as the First Lands. Now that Luke could be considered a proper mage, he could clearly sense the abundant magic permeating every corner of the land.
His plan was to purchase some means of transportation. He still had a long journey ahead of him, and there was no telling how long it would take to reach the Placidium of Navori on foot.
The Placidium of Navori was located on Ionia's central island. It was one of the holiest places in the First Lands, revered as sacred ground and renowned as a center of magical learning.
What made the region even more famous, however, was the Battle of the Placidium, an event now immortalized in the history of the war.
During the Noxian invasion, the Placidium had already fallen under military occupation. The Noxians used their prisoners as bait, waiting for the Ionian resistance to walk into their trap.
It was during that period that a young woman gathered the resistance fighters under her leadership. Together, they broke through the encirclement and drove back the army that had already seized the Placidium. Their desperate victory became the turning point of the war.
The Noxian general who had been reduced to little more than a supporting character in that historic battle was Swain.
The young woman became famous because of it.
Her name was Xan Irelia.
The Placidium was Luke's next destination.
Before long, he found a stable where horses were being raised. The stable owner was chatting and joking with one of his companions.
When he saw Luke approaching, he immediately came forward to greet him.
"What can I do for you?"
"I'd like to buy a horse for traveling," Luke replied.
"Is that so? Then come take a look. These are all excellent horses, every one of them carefully raised by me."
The stable owner enthusiastically led Luke inside.
The sounds of horses breathing and chewing came from the individual stalls.
After listening to the owner's introductions, Luke quickly took an interest in a white thoroughbred with a smooth, glossy coat and powerful legs.
"Most people would have a hard time taming that one," the stable owner warned him kindly. "If you're in a hurry, I'd recommend buying a different horse. The others only need a little time to get acquainted with you before they're ready for the road."
"No need. I'll take this one."
Luke stepped into the stall and gently stroked the white horse twice.
The horse had been about to grow angry when a stranger approached it, but it abruptly calmed down the next moment, becoming incomparably docile.
The stable owner stared at the sight in amazement. At the same time, he realized that Luke was no ordinary person and decided not to waste any more words trying to persuade him.
"I hope you treat it well. Every living creature in Ionia possesses a spirit."
"Don't worry."
After paying, Luke led the white horse out of the stable.
Bartering was generally the most common method of trade in Ionia. People exchanged something they owned for another item of equal value.
However, as more and more outsiders arrived in the First Lands, coins had also become one of the currencies accepted there.
Even when local residents had no personal use for coins, they could exchange them for supplies through specialized merchants.
Luke purchased several other necessities afterward, including food, a map, and even pots, bowls, and utensils. He filled an entire large basket before finally preparing to depart.
According to the map, he needed to travel north.
He rode along a narrow mountain trail, and before he knew it, the sky had grown dark.
The marketplace he had started from had long since disappeared far behind him. Ionia remained just as beautiful at night.
Many wondrous plants in the mountain forests emitted their own light. Even the trees were decorated with tiny specks of luminescence, creating a breathtaking sight.
After nearly an entire day of travel, the white horse beneath Luke had begun to tire, and his stomach was starting to grow hungry.
He stopped and used stones from the surrounding area to build a simple fire pit, preparing to cook something to eat.
The forest was remarkably quiet at night. Tranquil moonlight filtered through the trees, filling the surroundings with an indescribable sense of peace.
Once the pot was hanging over the fire, Luke had nothing left to do. He stretched and leaned against a tree, enjoying the stillness of the night while waiting for his mushroom soup to finish cooking.
Suddenly, he heard hurried footsteps coming from the distance.
Someone seemed to be fleeing, their frantic pace carrying a trace of panic.
Luke opened his eyes and looked in that direction. A figure soon rushed into his makeshift campsite.
The newcomer wore a cloak that concealed her face beneath its hood, but Luke could vaguely tell that she was a woman. She was breathing slightly harder than normal.
She spotted Luke immediately, then looked anxiously from side to side. After seemingly making a decision, she hurried over to the basket, vaulted over its edge, and climbed inside.
"Please, don't tell her."
Before she pulled the basket's lid shut, a soft, melodious, and helpless voice drifted out from inside. It was as lovely as a songbird's call and was clearly directed at Luke.
Luke stared at the basket for a moment, thinking, then stood and walked over.
"I don't know what you're hiding from, but try not to panic. More importantly, don't make any noise."
As Luke spoke, he placed a hand on the basket and actively released Stealth.
An invisible field quickly enveloped both him and the entire basket, suppressing their presences until they were almost nonexistent.
He then moved the basket to a concealed location. While lifting it, he felt the person inside tremble slightly.
He had told her not to panic, but she was clearly still nervous.
After hiding the basket, Luke returned to his previous spot and casually sat down.
Before long, another set of hurried footsteps approached. In the blink of an eye, a second person appeared.
She was also a woman. She wore smooth garments in shades of green and black over her upper body, leaving her slender, fair arms exposed. Cloudlike markings decorated her skin. Loose trousers covered her lower body, and a broad rope was tied around her waist, supporting several cloth pouches.
She was not particularly tall. Her hair had been tied up casually, with several strands spilling freely around her face. A mask concealed most of her features, leaving only a pair of clear, cool reddish-brown eyes exposed. Her long, delicate brows gave her gaze a faintly severe edge.
Those eyes briefly settled on Luke before rapidly scanning the surrounding area. When she found nothing useful, she finally spoke.
"Did you see anyone suspicious running this way?"
Her voice was crisp and youthful, though she seemed to be deliberately trying to sound more mature.
"Someone suspicious?"
Luke pretended to think before shaking his head.
"I didn't see anyone. I did hear something over there a moment ago, though. Whatever it was kept heading in that direction."
He naturally raised a hand and pointed toward a random location, an utterly harmless smile resting on his face.
The masked young woman nodded. Looking at his innocent expression, she did not feel particularly suspicious.
She had already extended her senses across the area and found no indication that anyone else had passed through.
Anyone hiding nearby would have found it extremely difficult to escape her perception.
"This area isn't very safe right now. Unless you have urgent business here, you should leave as soon as possible and find a village or town where you can rest."
The masked young woman was preparing to resume her pursuit, but before leaving, she offered Luke a well-intentioned warning.
"All right. I'll leave soon."
Luke obediently nodded as though he had taken her advice to heart.
As soon as he finished speaking, the masked young woman pushed off the ground and shot toward the direction he had indicated.
Her speed was extraordinary. She vanished from Luke's sight in an instant.
As he watched her disappear, information about the masked young woman surfaced in his mind.
Akali, the Rogue Assassin.
Luke waited quietly for several seconds before speaking.
"You can come out now."
The lid of the basket he had hidden was immediately pushed open.
A pair of furry ears emerged first. A head then gradually rose beneath them, revealing a pair of lively amber eyes that cautiously inspected the surroundings.
"Don't worry. She's already far away."
Luke looked at the head peeking out of the basket, and another piece of information flashed through his mind.
Ahri, the Nine-Tailed Fox.
He had not expected this. He had only just set foot in Ionia, yet he had already encountered two unforgettable champions in succession.
Hearing his assurance, Ahri finally breathed a sigh of relief and stood up inside the basket.
She did not appear to notice that the hood had fallen from her head.
"Thank you," she said, looking at Luke.
Her voice was just as soft and melodious as before. Combined with her exquisitely beautiful face, it naturally carried a captivating charm.
Her long black hair framed an oval face with flawless features. Her pale, delicate skin appeared almost translucent, as smooth as polished ivory. She resembled a lotus flower that had only just begun to bloom above the water.
Her elegant, upturned eyes possessed a clear, shimmering allure. A trace of innocent purity mingled with her natural seductiveness. Beneath her delicate nose were thin, rose-red lips, giving her an enchanting beauty that seemed entirely innate.
Her face alone was enough to make her seem irresistibly alluring.
At that moment, however, exhaustion lingered in her luminous eyes. Her gently curved brows and weary expression made her appear especially vulnerable.
Noticing that Luke's gaze remained fixed on her face, Ahri reached up and touched her head. She suddenly realized that her hood had fallen and hurriedly turned away from him.
This was bad.
"There's no need to thank me," Luke said curiously. "I'm more interested in why she was chasing you."
He was not acting strangely?
Ahri paused in surprise. She pulled her hood back over her head before turning to face Luke again.
After hesitating, she answered, "I killed several people. She's been chasing me because of that for two full days."
"You killed people?"
"Yes."
Ahri glanced in the direction Akali had gone, then looked at Luke again.
Only then did she notice just how handsome he truly was. In fact, he was the most attractive man she had ever seen.
There was also something faintly familiar about him, though she could not place the feeling.
"Anyway, thank you. Don't worry, I'll leave immediately."
Coming back to her senses, Ahri prepared to hurry away.
Part of the reason was that remaining there was dangerous. The other was that if she stayed near Luke for too long, her peculiar ability might begin affecting him.
However, the moment she took her first step, she caught the fragrance drifting from the now-boiling pot.
It smelled almost outrageously delicious.
That immediately produced a chain reaction.
A loud growl came from her stomach.
The sound made Ahri stop awkwardly. She silently cursed her uncooperative stomach for choosing that exact moment to betray her.
"You'll need plenty of energy if you want to keep avoiding pursuit. Why not eat something before you go?"
Luke lifted the lid from the pot.
A wave of steam rose into the air, causing the rich aroma drifting through the forest to grow even stronger.
Ahri could not help swallowing.
After struggling with herself for half a second, she appeared to reach an agreement with her own conscience. She approached the campfire and slowly crouched beside it.
"Can I really have some? Isn't this your food?"
"You can see how much there is. There's more than enough."
Luke generously found a bowl and spoon, cleaned them, then served Ahri a steaming bowl of mushroom soup.
Although it was called mushroom soup, it did not contain only mushrooms. Luke had added several other vegetables as well.
There was no meat because he had originally wanted something light.
Ahri stared blankly at the bowl of mushroom soup in her hands. It almost seemed to glow in her eyes, and her appetite had already been thoroughly awakened.
She gently blew across the surface.
Once she felt it had cooled enough, she scooped up a spoonful and brought it to her mouth.
The instant the savory mushroom soup touched her tongue, Ahri felt so happy that she nearly melted.
As the warm mouthful entered her stomach, a comforting heat flowed throughout her entire body, gradually dispelling the exhaustion she had accumulated over the previous two days.
She had not eaten anything for more than an entire day.
That woman had pursued her relentlessly, leaving her with no opportunity to stop for food.
One simple spoonful nearly brought Ahri to tears.
She had not even done anything wrong. Why did she have to suffer like this?
Luke took a sip of mushroom soup as well and casually asked, "You don't look like the kind of person who could coldheartedly murder someone."
Ahri fell silent for a moment and stared down at the soup in her hands.
"The people I killed weren't good people. Even so, I'm actually dangerous myself. I have a special ability that can kill people without leaving any visible wounds."
"How does it kill them?" Luke continued asking.
"When you saw my face just now, what did you feel?" Ahri asked instead.
Luke considered the question.
"You're very beautiful."
Ahri raised her head slightly. Her eyes looked toward Luke from beneath her hood, now carrying a trace of nervousness.
"Anything else?"
Luke raised an eyebrow.
"You're being a little narcissistic. Are you waiting for me to keep complimenting you?"
"I'm not asking because of that!"
Ahri choked in the middle of drinking her soup and coughed several times.
After recovering, she composed herself and tried again.
"I'm asking whether you felt anything else. Did you feel uncomfortable, or…"
"Or?" Luke prompted.
Ahri's cheeks reddened beneath her hood. She unconsciously lowered her head and answered with visible embarrassment.
"Or did you find yourself… captivated by me?"
"And you still claim you aren't narcissistic?"
"I already told you that isn't what I mean!"
Ahri immediately emphasized her words in embarrassed irritation.
This time, she raised her head so quickly that her upright ears pushed the hood backward again, revealing her flushed, lovely face. A thin trace of mushroom broth still clung to the corner of her lips.
"I understand. Sometimes I'm like that too. Just drink your soup."
Luke glanced at her with an understanding expression before quietly resuming his meal.
Ahri wanted to explain that she genuinely was not narcissistic, but she felt that any further attempt to defend herself would be pointless.
She had also noticed something else.
After seeing her face, Luke truly did not seem affected in the slightest.
Watching him quietly drink his soup, she could not resist asking in a low voice, "You really didn't feel anything at all?"
"I did. From the moment I first saw you, I was completely captivated."
Luke smiled, his tone resembling someone comforting an insatiable child.
"I…"
Ahri's face grew even redder.
She knew the misunderstanding had only deepened. At the same time, she could hear absolutely no sincerity in Luke's words.
He was clearly only saying it to stop her from asking again.
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