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In the old tunnel, Link was making his way back.
Janna, in her blue bird form, perched on his shoulder, sulking with an extremely displeased expression.
This unlovable little sprite had actually been tricked by him, which was utterly infuriating!
However, Link paid no mind to Janna's thoughts. With a goddess assisting him, the subsequent tasks became much easier.
Although this goddess had her powers and skills reset to zero due to her slumber and needed to gradually regain her faith to unlock her abilities, having someone willing to support him was already quite good.
He couldn't afford to be picky!
As he walked, Link recalled the adverse reaction he experienced when Janna bestowed her blessing upon him.
This reaction had also occurred during the last memorial meeting.
That was when Jayce rushed in with his hammer, and he suddenly tasted sourness in his mouth.
"Janna, why do I feel a sudden sour taste in my mouth when you bless me?"
Link was always straightforward with any questions he didn't understand.
Janna huffed slightly. Although she was still annoyed with Link, she explained, "That's because your magical talent is awakening!"
"To use and practice magic, the first step is to perceive magic!"
"This is a necessary first step for anyone with magical talent. When I blessed you, your awakening talent was stimulated, causing that reaction."
"Oh, so that's how it is—" Link's eyes lit up with understanding; there was indeed content related to this in the original setting.
He just hadn't connected the dots before.
However, could it be that he possessed magical talent because he was a traveler and his soul's power was stronger than that of ordinary people?
In the League universe, there are many ways to acquire magic.
Bloodline inheritance is one method, like Mel in the original story.
Long-term exposure to environments rich in arcane power is another, like those persecuted mages from Demacia.
Receiving blessings from high-ranking beings is yet another way—like the blessings of celestial beings!
Self-cultivation is also an option, such as blood magic mastered by vampires.
There's also postnatal transformation, like that of Yuzhu Beileya.
Making contracts with demons is another method, like Swain who wields demonic power.
In addition to these methods, there are many other ways to master magic.
Regardless of the reason, it was undeniable that Link possessed magical talent.
"What kind of talent will I have?" Curiosity filled Link's heart. Janna glanced at Link's helmet visor and rolled her eyes. "If your family has ever produced a mage, you might catch a glimpse of your magical ability."
"But if not, then you'll just have to wait—wait for your magic to truly awaken and reveal its true form."
"Isn't this just like opening a blind box?" Link chuckled bitterly. Janna huffed again and turned her head away, unwilling to engage further with Link.
Even a goddess has her little temper!
The exchange between them came to a temporary halt as Link realized he had no time to waste.
He needed to prepare a new laboratory for Singed, awaken Vander's humanity, and stabilize Jinx's unstable mental state.
Most importantly, the chaotic runes beneath the Hextech portals and Victor's transformation due to Hextech were two major problems waiting for him to resolve.
Just thinking about these made Link's head throb.
Time was growing tighter; tasks were becoming heavier. Finding a path that could smoothly resolve everything was indeed troublesome.
"Your mind seems troubled, little sprite."
Janna sensed Link's heavy thoughts and spoke up: "If you have anything bothering you, feel free to share. As your goddess, it's my duty to help you relieve your worries!"
"Of course! After I help you solve your problems, you'll need to help me spread my teachings."
Janna raised her wings and expressed her dissatisfaction: "A goddess should not present herself in such a state!"
"Don't worry; I will help you spread your teachings. But first, you'll have to wait until I finish my tasks!"
Link suppressed his increasingly heavy thoughts and stepped forward from the old tunnel into the urban area of Zaun.
It was already night. Under the dim light of the night sky, Zaun's glaring yellow lights from smelting solutions pierced through the darkness quite harshly.
Link tightened his cloak around himself as he hurried through the crowd.
Without Silco's restraint, the Alchemical Barons and their minions had become increasingly rampant; gangs were springing up like mushrooms after rain.
This led to widespread suffering among Zaun's citizens; ordinary people lived in constant fear day and night.
To stabilize order in Zaun, someone needed to step up and suppress all unstable elements intent on causing chaos while coordinating resources to restore order back into Zaun.
"Is this still the Zaun I remember?"
Janna observed everything on the streets—beggars crowded along both sides of the road; those modified by alchemical technology flaunted their power; merchants were wary of every customer; children curled up in their mothers' arms with fearful and uneasy expressions.
"A lot has happened during your twenty-plus years of slumber," as Link left the main street and turned into an alleyway when suddenly his eyebrows raised in surprise.
He spotted two figures—a large one and a small one—hurrying down the alley toward the docks leading up to Upper City.
"Could those two be—" As Link recalled scenes from memory while quickening his pace toward them, he said to Janna: "Janna, can you help me out?"
"Got it. But what exactly happened in Zaun?"
"Let me explain! The advancement of science and technology has brought about progress in thought but has also caused the simple folk's customs to vanish without a trace."
"The factories rising from the ground up; factory owners who exploit their workers; brutal gang members; and excessive oppression and discrimination from Piltover against Zaun have gradually pushed your memory of Zaun toward an abyss."
"If nothing is done soon enough," Link continued gravely, "Zaun will inevitably go to war with Piltover. The people you see will die in that conflict; then both cities will become estranged due to hatred—completely severing ties—giving outsiders an opportunity for Zaun to forever become a colony."
"Isn't that just like how Osha Vazu'an suffered under Shurima's rule back then?"
Janna's eyes widened as if she could see people suffering under the oppression of celestial warriors from long ago.
"Pretty much," Link shook his head. The two figures ahead had already entered a pipe. If he didn't keep up—
Just as he turned into the pipe himself, a stick suddenly swept toward him.
The stick blocked his vision while simultaneously growing larger as it rushed at him; its wind caused his hood to flutter wildly.
In the next second,
Smack!
Link grabbed hold of the sweeping stick and yanked it toward himself forcefully with a startled shout escaping his lips.
"My ancestors!"
A strange voice echoed in Link's ears as he released the stick and seized hold of the person who had attempted to ambush him.
The small figure had dark skin adorned with white paint forming hourglass patterns. Their stubborn eyes met Link's gaze as they pulled back their cloak and removed their mask—revealing a furry face underneath.
The great inventor—Heimerdinger!
"Please don't be violent; we mean no harm."
"Swinging sticks at me? You call that no harm?" Link grumbled but released his grip on the boy. The latter landed on his feet while coughing twice as he clutched his throat. "Who told you to follow us first!"
Link regarded the boy—it was Ekko, the time-traveling assassin.
It seemed they had discovered their home being eroded by Hextech technology and planned on heading toward Piltover's university laboratory for answers.
If that were true—
Link narrowed his eyes; Victor had awakened and left Piltover—returning back to Zaun!
"Following?" Organizing his thoughts quickly, Link scoffed coldly: "If it weren't for me receiving divine guidance or my goddess insisting I find you two—I wouldn't care less about your lives!"
"What divine guidance? What goddess?" Ekko grew increasingly dissatisfied. "What's wrong with you? You sound crazy!"
"Listen well here, little dark-skinned brat!" As Link lifted his chin defiantly while extending both arms out from beneath his cloak high above him. "I received revelations from Janna, Goddess of Storms! She commanded me at this time on this path—to seek out two lost lambs—to enlighten them so they may return from their wayward paths instead of falling into despair!"
"Janna?" Ekko looked at him as if he were some madman combined with an idiot. "Even three-year-olds in Zaun know that she's just a character from bedtime stories!"
"Really now?" As Link chuckled softly while subtly tilting his head slightly,
Janna, it's your cue!
Hidden within Link's clothing, Janna understood what he meant. Transforming into a gentle breeze she rushed toward all three individuals while doing her utmost best to summon forth a mighty wind that would sweep through the entire passageway.
In an instant, howling winds roared through the corridor as Ekko and Heimerdinger stood there stunned with expressions of shock on their faces.
Link raised both arms high above him amidst swirling winds while shouting loudly,
"To all lost lambs who refuse to return—listen closely to Janna's teachings—"
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