After Irelia said that, she left. I was at a loss. I definitely still had to visit the Kinkou Monastery, but I had no idea how long this war would last. Could I really just leave?
I couldn't find an answer even by midnight. In the end, I decided to return to the Wind Sword Sect and confess my "crimes" to Souma.
Before dawn, I set off without telling anyone. Ever since Swain had ambushed the allied forces' rear, people had been leaving every day. My departure wouldn't attract any attention.
The Wind Sword Sect wasn't far from Sunong, and after learning the Wind Riding Technique, I could travel very quickly. I reached the foot of the mountain in just one day.
That was when I spotted someone lying by the road, covered in blood. Taking a closer look, I realized he seemed to be one of my fellow disciples.
"What happened? Why are you lying here, gravely wounded?"
"Yasuo, don't go back. Noxian soldiers attacked us. I'm the only one who escaped. Now..."
Before he could finish, I took off, racing up the mountain. A dreadful premonition filled my heart...
Since I'd learned Wind Force, I knew the mountain well. I soon reached the training ground halfway up.
There were bloodstains all over the training ground. The Wind Sword Sect had never had many members to begin with, and along the way I'd already seen several of our disciples' corpses. It looked as though, apart from the one who had escaped, no one had made it out alive.
Not far from the training ground was a shrine dedicated to our ancestors. Its doors were shut tight, and a number of Noxian soldiers had gathered outside. I let out a roar and charged at them, hoping to draw their attention.
When they saw another survivor, they immediately surrounded me. One came, and Wind Sword Style killed one. A whole group came, and it killed them all!
This time, I didn't hold back like I had before. I unleashed my techniques without restraint. I didn't even need my blade; Wind Force alone could slit my enemies' throats.
I could hear fighting inside the shrine. The only person who could have held out this long was Souma. The thought made me even more anxious. My strikes grew faster and more brutal, and the Gale Sword grew sharper with every use!
It didn't take long to kill them all. At the same time, the shrine fell completely silent.
I pushed open the doors just in time to see Souma slowly collapse. The sound of his longsword slipping from his hand and clattering to the floor was painfully loud. The moment I saw the enemy, an intense mixture of love and hatred surged through me. I'd never felt anything like it before.
My dreadful premonition had come true. The person standing there was Riven.
My head rang. Several times I tried to thrust my sword at her, and several times I stopped myself. But Riven didn't hesitate. She had already attacked me.
The moment our weapons clashed, the impact numbed my hand. It brought me back to my senses, and I gathered Wind Force again, focusing on the fight.
Over the past few years, Riven had barely changed aside from growing taller. Her neat short hair, dark skin, and sturdy muscles were just as I remembered them. But her gaze had turned ice-cold, without a trace of feeling left in it.
Her movements were as crisp and decisive as her white hair. The greatsword in her hands was heavy and powerful, suited for both attack and defense. The sudden bursts of strength she unleashed forced me back several steps!
After exchanging blows briefly, I recognized something familiar in her. Her footwork and techniques were much like those of Strength, Speed, Shadow, and Precision, the teachers at Tam's training ground. So they really had taught Riven martial arts. No wonder she'd been so terrifyingly strong!
I increased my strength and speed again. Though I was no longer Zhao Xin, I still retained the essence of what I'd learned, so I wasn't caught off guard and could handle her attacks with relative ease.
At the same time, I brought out the secrets of the Wind Riding Technique, wrapping Wind Force around her greatsword and making it difficult for her to move. Then I waited for an opening. But I still couldn't bring myself to hurt her.
Riven had clearly trained hard. She'd always had a good foundation; it was only because I'd warned her that she hadn't taken up martial arts. Now that her nature had been unleashed, and with the immense power of the greatsword in her hands, she actually broke free of the Wind Force binding her!
As her strength increased, I slowly began to lose ground!
Did we really have to fight to the death today? So be it. You killed Souma with your own hands. Our grievances would be forever locked in my heart!
I stopped hesitating and brought all my skills to bear. As I darted and weaved, murderous intent shone through. Her defense grew increasingly difficult, and she could only block with the broad side of her sword. She kept retreating until she hit the wall and had nowhere else to go.
Riven held her sword sideways to protect her chest. I pinned it in place with the Gale Sword, leaving her unable to move. I kept increasing the force. The two blades screeched against each other as dust shook loose from above. I could even feel the wall about to collapse.
Suddenly, she thrust her sword forward and shoved me back. Wind Force began swirling around her greatsword, just as it did around my Gale Sword! Then its runes split apart, and she swung it at me with tremendous force. Blade of the Exile—an unstoppable strike!
At such close range, I had no way to dodge. The blade's energy was so fierce that if it hit me, I would surely die!
Almost by reflex, I used Laurent's Mind Blade. I didn't know whether it would work against the blade's energy, but it was my only chance.
By a lucky accident, when I used Laurent's Mind Blade, Wind Force didn't disappear. Instead, it merged seamlessly with it, forming a wall of wind in front of me that blocked Riven's blade energy.
I escaped unharmed, but she had no more tricks left. Her greatsword slipped from her grasp, and she sank to the ground. Blood seeped from the corner of her mouth. At the same time, two Silver Coins fell from her clothes with a clink. She quickly picked them up and clutched them in her hand.
"I lost. Kill me and avenge your friend."
I gathered all my Wind Force along the edge of my sword. The raging wind seemed capable of slicing through anything. After building up my strength for a long time, I suddenly thrust downward. Riven closed her eyes, ready to accept death.
I didn't stab her. I stabbed the greatsword beside her. With all my strength behind the blow, I shattered it into countless pieces.
"Why didn't you heed my warning and choose to take up a weapon?"
At my words, Riven abruptly raised her head. Two streams of tears ran down her expressionless face.
"Brother Zhao Xin?" she asked tentatively.
"Zhao Xin came back from the dead, and I inherited his memories. Now I'm Yasuo. You still haven't answered me. Why did you take up a weapon and join the war?"
"I wanted to avenge you! I wanted to fulfill your uncompleted wish and help Darius. I... I've already lost myself in it." Riven's voice grew quieter and quieter as she sank into self-reproach.
It seemed that some things would end the same way, no matter how they unfolded.
"Did Tam have Strength, Speed, Shadow, and Precision teach you martial arts?"
"No. I went to him on my own."
Riven told me what had happened after the coup...
Before you continue