In the blink of an eye, it had been three and a half years since the founding of the League of Legends.
More and more people, hearing of this international organization, traveled to the twin cities to undergo a series of physical evaluations and talent tests at the War Academy. From there, they completed ranked trials to determine their skill levels.
The majority joined the League of Legends due to national endorsements or because of Li Lin's renowned reputation. However, some sought membership because they hoped the League could help fulfill certain personal wishes. Naturally, such requests were limited to what the League or Li Lin could reasonably accomplish without violating the newly established Runeterra International Law.
For relatively simple matters, the League would publish these tasks as missions. Members ranked Platinum or higher could voluntarily take on these missions, receiving rewards upon successful completion. If a problem exceeded the capabilities of Platinum-ranked members, it would be escalated to Diamond, Master, or even Grandmaster-level members. Alternatively, individuals could directly request Li Lin's mechanical army for cases like pursuing elusive criminals or dealing with violent bandits.
To date, Li Lin had resolved most of the crises within Runeterra, and nations had united in preparation to face the ultimate Void threat. The only recent exception was a hundred-meter-long sea monster attacking a League-governed merchant vessel in the Watchers' Sea. After receiving a request for aid, the Grandmaster-ranked Kai'Sa, clad in her Project: Angel armor, had personally taken down the beast.
This marked the first—and so far only—time a member ranked beyond Master had been called into action. Previously, the highest-ranked members needed for resolving such wishes were generally at the Diamond tier.
Li Lin, for his part, rarely involved himself in mundane tasks. His quantum-processing AI was more than capable of managing those. He would typically listen to the AI's summary reports during his downtime.
But today, a heartfelt plea from a new League member had caught his personal attention.
In the reception room of the War Academy, Li Lin sat on a sofa, his brow furrowed in deep thought. Today, the newcomer seeking his help wasn't human but a member of the Marai, a tribe of fish-like Vastaya inhabiting the Conqueror's Sea west of Mount Targon.
As a branch of the Vastaya, the Marai inherited some traits from their vastayan Shimon ancestors. Thousands of years ago, they left the shores of Ionia to settle in the deep seas, drifting along ocean currents until they found their home in the Conqueror's Sea.
The Marai before him introduced herself as Nami, the newest "Tidecaller" chosen by her tribe.
Her appearance was a blend of human and aquatic features: her upper body, human-like, was adorned with a sleek yellow-green sheen, while her lower body extended into a fish's tail armored with steel-like scales. Her long fins, stretching from where her human torso met her tail, aided her swift movements underwater. She wore a black crown inlaid with a dazzling azure gem atop her head. Overall, human characteristics accounted for only a third of her being.
Typically, the Marai could not survive far from water. However, by wielding enchanted staffs, they could manipulate magic to carry water with them, allowing them to walk on land. For Nami, this magic was a lifeline, as she was the first Marai in generations to venture onto dry land.
Now, in the reception room, Nami's tail rested in a pool of magically sustained water beneath her, while her webbed fingers clutched her Tidecaller's staff tightly. Though she had encountered many humans before, this moment felt uniquely daunting.
Not even her recent journey to the ocean's abyss to retrieve a Deep Sea Pearl—where she confronted her corrupted predecessor, Rasho—had left her this uneasy.
'Yes, Nami,' she reminded herself, 'this time, you've come to the right place. As long as you join the League of Legends, he'll help you find the Moonstone!'
Taking a deep breath, she fixed her gaze on Li Lin, who had remained silent since she finished recounting her story.
The Moonstone was a vital magical artifact for the Marai. Centuries ago, her ancestors forged a pact with the Aspect of the Moon atop Mount Targon, exchanging the brightest pearls from the abyss for the Moonstone to protect their home from corrupting forces beneath the waves.
Few Marai could descend to such crushing depths, even with magic, so the task traditionally fell to the strongest among them: the Tidecaller.
However, Nami's generation faced an unprecedented challenge. The Aspect of the Moon's host on Mount Targon had vanished, and Nami's search had led her to Targonian tribes who redirected her toward Ionia.
While passing through the twin cities, she learned of the League of Legends and its reputation for fulfilling wishes in exchange for membership. This prompted her to approach the War Academy directly, hoping to request their aid.
She hadn't expected Li Lin himself to greet her.
After listening intently to her tale, Li Lin fell into prolonged contemplation, leaving Nami unsure of his response.
The ticking clock on the wall marked the passing seconds, each one amplifying her anxiety. Just as doubt began to cloud her mind, Li Lin finally broke the silence.
"So, you believe the Aspect of the Moon is in Ionia?"
Nami snapped back to reality, her voice trembling slightly. "Y-yes. The people on Mount Targon said the moon was there… and my staff's magic points in that direction too."
Li Lin gave a faint, exasperated smile. "Is it possible your 'eastern direction' is simply pointing to the moon in the sky?"
"...What?" Nami blinked in confusion, not understanding what he meant.
As a resident of Runeterra, Nami had no concept of astronomy. To her, the moon was a mystical entity, not a celestial body orbiting the planet. While this knowledge was common in Piltover, thanks to Heimerdinger and the Piltover University's recent advancements in space studies, it remained entirely foreign to the Marai.
Li Lin chose not to elaborate. Instead, he got straight to the point. "The successor to the Moon's Aspect is still on Mount Targon. The locals are simply too afraid of the Solari to reveal her presence. The Solari brand anyone seeking the moon's power as heretics, forcing the Lunari to remain hidden."
Nami bit her lip, her expression tinged with sorrow.
Her first encounter with a hostile Targonian tribe had mirrored this sentiment. They had labeled her a harbinger of fear and deceit merely because she sought the moon, nearly attacking her on sight. Only by cleverly framing the moon as a demon and saving them from a fire did she gain their trust, earning directions—albeit the wrong ones.
"They misled you because you saved them. They didn't want you to fall into the Solari's hands and be condemned as a heretic."
"So… does that mean there's no way to solve this?" Nami sniffled, panic rising in her voice. "I must find the Moonstone. My people need it!"
"Calm down. I didn't say it's unsolvable," Li Lin assured her, waving a hand. "The Solari have become an extremist faction ruling over part of Mount Targon, and their actions threaten humanity's unity. Even if you hadn't come, I'd have intervened sooner or later."
Nami's eyes sparkled with hope. "Does that mean we can find the Aspect of the Moon?"
She hesitated before adding, "I mean, if I join the League of Legends… would you consider helping me and my people sooner?"
"Of course," Li Lin replied with a smile. Then, with a snap of his fingers, a projection device in the corner scanned Nami's data and displayed her profile before her.
The hologram showed her name, height, weight, innate magical potential, and an AI-assessed preliminary rank. Below this, it detailed the League's rules and obligations for its members.
Recognizing the script as a close variant of ancient Ionian, Nami quickly read through the terms. When she finally raised her gaze, determination shone in her eyes.
"If this is all that's required… I accept."
"Welcome to the League of Legends, our newest Diamond-ranked member."
(End of Chapter)
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