“It seems there was a slight unexpected turn of events.” After a moment of awkward silence, Dean put down his teacup. “The connection between this sword and you… I’m afraid it’s deeper than anticipated.”
“What do you mean?” Riven turned her head, avoiding Dean’s gaze. “Why is it that when I look at you, I can tell what you’re thinking?”
“For you, I am now that sword,” Dean explained. “Of course, only temporarily—once I completely dissolve its magic, this phenomenon will disappear.”
“You ate it, so it became a part of you,” Riven said, as if understanding. “I know its thoughts, so I know yours?”
“That understanding is correct.” Dean nodded, affirming, “This is the first time I’ve seen such a thing. It really goes to show you shouldn’t just eat anything…”
“So when will you be able to completely dissolve its magic?” Riven completely ignored the latter half of Dean’s grumbling. “Or rather, would it be better if I left immediately?”
“Fleeing won’t solve the problem.” Dean picked up his teacup again. “As a post-sales service, I suggest you help me dissolve its magic faster.”
“How do I dissolve it?” Riven frowned. “Explain it clearly, don’t be so mysterious.”
“It’s simple, tell me how you used it before.” Dean took a sip of hot tea; the boiling tea seemed like only warm water to him. “Temporarily treat me as that sword, and dance a Broken Wings with me.”
“You know me well.” Riven’s expression turned dangerous. “Almost no one knows the name Broken Wings.”
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Broken Wings was the name Riven gave her own moves, and due to a slight embarrassment, she had almost never mentioned it to anyone.
“Perhaps.” Dean remained unhurried. “If this understanding makes you uncomfortable, I can apologize.”
“So what exactly are your intentions?” Riven stood up and took down a decorative longsword from the wall. “First, you actively jumped out to help me, and then you seem to know me so well.”
“If we’re talking about intentions, there are probably two reasons.” Dean held up two fingers and wiggled them in front of Riven. “First, I’m very hungry, but many things in Ionia cannot be eaten indiscriminately, as it will incur the disgust of the First Land—and your sword can temporarily satisfy me.”
“For the sake of appetite?”
“Second, I have sealed part of my memories.” Dean continued noncommittally, “And in the unsealed part of my memories, there is something about you: you are a trustworthy person, just like Elder Souma.”
“In that case, your list of trusted people is quite strange.”
“I trust my judgment very much.” Dean smiled, his pair of purple eyes staring unblinkingly at Riven. “Since you can be trusted, I must help you—you need to dispose of that Greatsword, and I will eat it, it’s that simple.”
Riven originally didn’t quite believe Dean’s words.
But at this moment, Dean’s smile reminded her of her brothers and sisters in the warband; they trusted her like that, traversing mountains and rivers under her leadership, fighting for the empire… until they encountered betrayal.
Those violet eyes made her feel incredibly close, even instinctively wanting to approach him, to be intimate with him.
Perhaps it was the similar smile that made Riven empathize, perhaps it was because Dean carried some of the Runic Blade’s aura, or perhaps Riven simply had no other choice, she finally nodded in silence, no longer questioning him.
“Don’t worry too much, dissolving magic is not difficult.” Seeing Riven’s furrowed brow gradually relax, Dean finally slowly continued, “It’s just that considering the good enchantment level on that sword, it might take a bit of time—of course, with your help, this time will be greatly reduced.”
“You need me to treat you like a sword and swing you around?” Riven finally accepted the facts. “I can do it, but can you handle it?”
“Uh, it doesn’t have to be that rough.” Dean quickly shook his head. “Just fight me, don’t go for the kill, and I can gradually understand everything during the fight.”
“This is a strange method.” Riven showed some doubt on her face. “But… trying it out shouldn’t be a big problem.”
“It’s too late today.” Seeing that Riven didn’t object, Dean finally put down his teacup. “Tomorrow, we’ll—”
Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly widened his eyes.
From Dean’s suddenly flickering gaze, Riven clearly read a warning of “danger.”
Without time to think, she immediately drew the longsword in her hand.
For Riven, who was used to greatswords, this decorative Ionian single-edged sword was not handy, but in any case, having a weapon was better than being empty-handed.
Almost at the moment she drew her sword, a figure emerged from the shadows in the corner of the room, and with it, a sharp dagger appeared, turning into a cold glint that directly stabbed towards Dean’s chest.
Straight for the heart.
Without time for further thought, Riven immediately thrust her sword forward, quickly blocking the dagger.
With a crisp clang, the blade and dagger struck each other, producing a series of sparks.
Missing its target, the assassin immediately retreated, disappearing into the shadows as if a blot of ink had spread on paper.
If Riven still had her Runic Blade, she could have activated the magic on the blade to attack the shadows directly; but now, holding a single-edged sword, even if Riven thrust towards the target, the result was only hitting a mass of shadow, unable to cause any effective damage.
This mass of shadow completely ignored Riven’s attack, shifted position behind Dean, and attacked him again. By the time Riven retracted her sword and stepped forward, wanting to help Dean defend, it was already too late.
However, just as the dagger was about to pierce his body, a low growl suddenly came from Dean’s throat.
The next moment, a faint green light appeared on his body, as if forming a shield, temporarily protecting Dean.
Riven was very familiar with this scene; it was the most common move she used when wielding her Runic Blade. That Greatsword always provided the most crucial protection when she charged with Valor.
And now, this protection appeared on the man in front of her—the subtle sense of loss and bitterness even made Riven momentarily stunned.
Dean’s eyes were fixed on the assassin in the shadows, unaware of what Riven was thinking.
After blocking the dagger’s assassination and seeing the assassin attempting to escape into the shadows again, he unhesitatingly threw a punch, striking the shadow. The fierce punch formed a shockwave, directly knocking the assassin out of the shadows.
This was also a common move of Riven’s, but cutting out a shockwave with a Greatsword and punching one out were completely different concepts. Dean’s punch landed, and his own knuckles were bloody.
Of course, the unlucky assassin who took the punch was even worse off; he immediately coughed up a mouthful of blood, completely staining his mask red, and his chest was swept by the shockwave, leaving a deep, bone-deep wound. If not for the shadow’s protection, that punch would probably have taken his life.
The assassin’s eyes, above his mask, glared resentfully at Dean, then at Riven, but in the end, he could only throw a smoke bomb, concealing himself.
After the smoke cleared, his figure had completely vanished.
“This isn’t a Noxus assassin.” Riven sheathed her sword and looked at Dean. “It’s more like the style of an Ionian.”
“If nothing else, it’s the Shadow Order.” Dean sighed. “An organization that split from the Kinkou Order, saying they want to use Noxus’s methods to fight Noxus.”
“What do they have to do with you?”
“I am an experiment of the Black Rose; the Black Rose has always wanted to capture me back.” Dean was quite frank. “The Shadow Order may not know why the Black Rose wants to capture me back. But in any case, they must be happy to prevent the Black Rose from achieving its goal—and the best way to prevent the Black Rose from capturing me back is to simply kill me.”
“Noxus wants to capture you back, and the Ionians want you dead on the spot?”
“So we’re in the same boat,” Dean nodded. “You plan to cut ties with the empire, so the empire will certainly want to capture you back; and as a Noxus soldier, who knows how many Ionians want your life.”
“Souma is willing to help me.” Riven narrowed her eyes. “Not all Ionians are filled with hatred.”
“He is also willing to help me and invited me to tea.” Dean spread his hands. “But in reality, neither Noxus nor Ionia has only one voice.”
Just then, the door to the Meditate room was pushed open, and Elder Souma and a tall young man entered in single file.
Elder Souma hadn’t spoken yet, but the young man with the ponytail behind him spoke first: “Who exactly are you two, and why have you come to the dojo?”
“Don’t be so impatient, Yasuo.” When the young man’s hand rested on his sword hilt, Souma finally slowly began, “It wasn’t them who acted, but the shadows in the darkness—you should calm down and listen more to the sound of the wind.”