League of Legends in Multiverse Chapter 49

This is Renekton's original concept art, so even people who haven't played League of Legends can understand what Rengar looks like now, right?

End of Chapter

The Expedition Ends

"Come to think of it... it feels like I forgot to do something."

After finishing off the last member of the bandit gang, Lianye put away his weapon.

At first, the plan he had given them was to split into two groups and search for the bandits' convoy. Whichever side found the enemy first would notify the others with a signal flare, then they would launch a joint counterattack and rescue Krista.

But in truth, that had merely been Lianye's way of placating Eren, Armin, and the others. Seeing how motivated they were, he did not think it would be right to dampen their hard-won enthusiasm and courage, so he assigned them a task in the name of their captain.

In reality, Lianye knew perfectly well that with his tracking abilities, even alone, he would definitely be the first to discover the bandits' movements. And when it came to fighting back, he did not particularly need the help of hotheaded rookies like Eren.

—Or rather, without their ODM Gear, the Expeditionary Team members were lacking in both speed and killing power. They were not even a match for those bandits wielding firearms, and would only hold him back.

"—So should I just tell them plainly that even if their little universes exploded, it would be useless, and that they should hurry up and crawl back to the Training Corps?"

Lianye rubbed his chin, a hint of contemplation on his face. But that seemed a little too heartless.

After mocking himself, he managed to calm his bloodthirsty impulses. Then Lianye turned around and looked at Krista, who still seemed somewhat shaken.

Her pale golden hair fell naturally around her shoulders. Her slender limbs made her look tall and graceful, while her lovely, model-like face was strikingly beautiful. This was Krista Lenz. Aside from her saintly, overly nice personality, the reason the members of this Training Corps class called her a "goddess" was naturally her eye-catching looks.

Her hair did not reach her waist, so minus one point. Her Saintly Cancer deducted another point. Her flat chest was open to debate, but her attributes as a petite, blonde, flat-chested loli standing only 145 centimeters tall were simply top-tier—enough to more than make up for every point deducted.

In any case, Krista looked like nothing more than a little girl. Whether she possessed Mikasa's steadfast heart or was truly innocent and kind by nature, being frightened was only natural. Whether it was being kidnapped by bandits armed with firearms or Lianye's somewhat brutal and utterly inelegant rescue method, both had probably taught her a thorough lesson.

"Let's go back."

After a brief sigh, unable to think of what to say to Krista, Lianye simply held out his hand toward her.

"Okay."

The blonde girl took Lianye's outstretched hand and rose to her feet.

Honestly, Lianye was already satisfied that Krista had not screamed and flung his hand away. Even if he justified himself with phrases like "violence is elegance" or "you brought this upon yourselves," Lianye still felt that his counterattack against the bandits had not been glorious at all. It had even been rather cruel.

"That's why I told you from the beginning—this world is quite cruel."

Lianye curled his lip. If every problem could be solved peacefully, if they could sit down calmly and slash the other side a couple of times, he would not be stingy about using such a more peaceful method. But in this cruel world where Titans roamed freely, the Royal Government was incompetent, and the nobility was lawless, only forceful means could settle things.

"The world kisses me with pain, and I repay it with song"—that kind of mindset could only exist in beautiful poetry.

"Mm."

Krista nodded and answered softly. She did not seem devastated or incredulous because reality had clashed so violently with her ideals. She simply no longer went to great lengths to weave her image around the gentle, kindhearted saintly type—at least, there was no need to do so in front of Lianye.

After all, Krista was not stupid. It was just that sometimes, while treating others in beautiful ways, one also needed those ways to deceive and blind oneself. In other words, being a good person was not necessarily for the other person's sake, but for self-satisfaction and self-consolation. In short, self—... never mind.

In any event, the goddess Krista was not as simple and innocent as she appeared. Of course, her nature was undoubtedly kind, but behind that gentle and benevolent aura lay a complicated past.

—Even Lianye had no way to break through that final wall so easily.

Lianye lifted Krista, who seemed like a weak and helpless little animal and did not know what to say for the moment, onto the last intact carriage. After loading all the ODM Gear the bandits had taken from the Expeditionary Team onto it, they began the return journey. Only halfway back did he fire the signal flare and rendezvous with Eren, Armin, and the others. Thus, the expedition came to an abrupt end.

In fact, rather than calling it an abandoned mission, it would be more accurate to say that it had fulfilled its intended purpose even better, allowing the Training Corps recruits to mature mentally.