Kaito sat by the fire in the Avarosan mess hall, shoveling stew into his mouth like a starving wolf.
"Slow down," Ashe said, amused. "You'll choke."
"Mmf—hungry," he mumbled between bites. Training under Tryndamere had left him bruised, exhausted, and ravenous.
The System hovered in his vision:
[New Ability Slot Available]
[Options:]
Twilight Shroud (Akali W) – Stealth and evasion.
Deflect (Jax E) – Dodge and counterstrike.
Concussive Blast (Jayce E) – Knockback utility.
"Deflect would synergize with my swordplay… but stealth could be huge for scouting," he mused.
Before he could decide, a horn blared outside—long and urgent.
Ashe shot to her feet. "Noxians."
Chaos erupted as Noxian raiders stormed the outpost's gates, their black-and-red banners flapping. Leading them was a hulking warrior with a spiked cestus—Draven's elite enforcer, Ralen the Bloody.
"Burn it all!" Ralen roared.
Kaito grabbed his sword, adrenaline surging. "Time to test my new skills."
He chose Deflect (Jax E)—a golden aura briefly enveloping his arms.
As a Noxian grunt charged, Kaito raised his sword sideways, activating the ability. The attacker's axe phased through him harmlessly, and Kaito retaliated with a Shunpo-enhanced slash.
"Nice trick," Fiora said, cutting down two soldiers beside him. "But don't get flanked!"
Kaito nodded, weaving through the battle:
Steel Tempest to disrupt formations.
Deflect to counter heavy blows.
Shunpo to reposition.
But then—a massive axe hurled toward Ashe.
"Look out!" Kaito lunged, but he was too slow—
WHOOSH!
A gale-force wind intercepted the axe, sending it spinning off-course.
A figure in tattered green robes landed beside them, a runed blade in hand.
"You're welcome," Yasuo said, smirking.
With the Noxians retreating, the outpost celebrated—but Yasuo's presence reeked of trouble.
"You're the one they're whispering about," he said, eyeing Kaito. "The 'world-walker.'"
Kaito tensed. "How does he know?"
Yasuo took a swig of sake. "Viego's not the only threat. The Black Rose seeks you too."
"The Black Rose?!" Ashe paled. "Noxus's secret cult?"
Yasuo nodded. "They think your power can be… harvested."
The System flashed a warning:
[New Major Quest: Survive the Black Rose]
[Reward: Unlock Ultimate Ability Slot (R)]
Kaito's blood ran cold.
That night, Kaito trained alone in the woods—until a foxfire glow caught his eye.
A woman with nine shimmering tails leaned against a tree. "You're interesting," Ahri purred. "A human who smells like… home."
Kaito froze. "Ahri? Why is she—"
"Runeterra's fate hinges on you," she said, suddenly serious. "But you're not ready. Seek the Temple of the First Wind in Ionia."
Before he could ask, she vanished in a swirl of petals.
The System updated:
[Hidden Quest: Journey to Ionia]
[Objective: Find the Temple of the First Wind]
[Clue: "The wind remembers what the sword forgets."]