Rebirth in a Different Place

Four colossal stone statues stood around the hall. They were all warriors wielding greatswords and clad in armor, their cloaks crossing behind them to form four high walls.

In the center of the hall, a monument stood on a stone platform, flanked by the Wings of Freedom, sacred and solemn. I recognized this place:

Demacia's Hall of Valor.

The Hall of Valor was a place to commemorate the soldiers who sacrificed their lives in war. People came here daily to mourn their loved ones or friends. Even strangers would be moved by the somber atmosphere.

I had been here once with Fiora, to mourn an uncle who died on the northern border.

But... why am I here?

At this moment, two people stood before the monument, dressed in white gowns, holding flowers, heads bowed in mourning for their loved ones.

Their backs looked familiar. Out of politeness, I prepared to approach and express my condolences, but when I overheard their conversation, I couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and disbelief.

They were mourning Levo Laurent, and these two people were Fiora and Lux!

Those two fools must think I died in the war. What a surprise this will be for them!

"Ahem, you two seem so sad. It appears someone very important to you has passed?"

They didn't turn around or respond, which struck me as odd. Shouldn't they be ecstatic to hear my voice right now? Even embrace me in tears?

"It's me, Levo, I'm back!"

Still no response. I started to panic and wanted to reach out and take their hands, but found I couldn't lift my feet, as if they were glued to the ground.

What was going on? A sense of dread washed over me.

When the two finished their mourning and turned to leave, I finally saw their faces. Their eyes were red, clearly having cried for a long time, but they left calmly as if they hadn't seen me. No matter how much I called out or struggled, it was useless.

"Fiora, Lux... Ah..."

I suddenly woke up. It was all a dream. The realistic sensation left me shaken for a long time afterward.

I never thought I'd wake up again. It was pitch black around me, filled with the smell of decay and mold. Solid stone walls surrounded me. The only door was made of steel bars as thick as my forearm, with a faint light flickering outside.

Hell? It didn't feel like it. Why would I be alone in hell? Could it be a prison?

I felt a surge of happiness at the thought of being alive. But considering my previous situation, survival seemed impossible. As I was lost in thought, the prison door opened, and a dim light shone in. I was fitted with a hood and taken away...

When the hood was removed, the sunlight blinded me. After a while, I adjusted and found myself in a circular arena.

The tiered seating around the arena rose like an inverted funnel, and the deafening shouts of the crowd made me dizzy.

Yes, this was a gladiator arena.

I knew that gladiatorial combat was popular in Noxus, but I never expected to witness it firsthand, let alone as a gladiator.

In this place where death was the only outcome, few people left alive. Even those who did were changed into monsters.

The gladiatorial arena was established by the ancient rulers of Noxus to maintain the populace's cruel and bloodthirsty nature. For this purpose, the Noxian army would bring back a large number of prisoners of war after each campaign.

These prisoners were sold as slaves to gladiatorial arenas or slave owners for duels and entertainment. Over countless years of development, it had become a symbolic venue of Noxus.

It seemed I had been captured by the Noxian army. I wondered how that war had ended. The thought of Quinn and Valor dying for me sent a pang of pain through my heart.

Was Fiora still grieving? I wanted to write her a letter, but to understand all this, I first needed to get out of here.

I slowly calmed myself and then noticed that my body was intact, even stronger than before. My hair had also turned black and fell loosely down my back.

What was going on? My emotions surged again, and then I thought of a possibility:

I hadn't survived the war. Instead, I had become someone else, and unfortunately, my new identity was vastly different from my previous one.

Soon, my opponent was brought in. He was naked, holding a spear, with the name of his master carved onto his face. I wondered which tribe he belonged to, captured and turned into a slave.

"In this match, a slave from the Uzi household challenges the arena's Zhao Xin! If Master Uzi wins, he will receive twenty gold coins! Come, slaves, spill your blood for your masters! I declare the duel to begin!"

As the referee announced the start, the audience in the stands cheered again. I, however, was stunned.

Did he just say Zhao Xin? So, I am Zhao Xin in the arena?

If the League of Legends lore is correct, I will be rescued by the Demacians!

No wonder I didn't see Zhao Xin in the royal palace; he was still fighting in the arena. This is getting interesting. Two Zhao Xins merging into one!

Hope ignited within me. As long as I didn't die here, I could get out!

→

Soon, the slave attacked me. I had no weapon and could only dodge, while hearing the chattering jeers from the people in the stands.

While dodging, I realized this body was not only strong but also agile and nimble. Even without a weapon, I had nothing to fear. Seizing an opportunity after dodging the slave's attack again, I snatched his spear and pierced his throat!

The jeers from the arena turned into cheers, as if I were a hero, not a slave. Noxians worshipped strength above all else.

Before, I would have trembled even at the thought of hitting someone, let alone killing them. But after experiencing the war between Demacia and Noxus, this kind of fight stirred no emotion within me.

After the battle, I was sent back to the stone cell. The benefit of winning was a hearty meal that night and a silver coin.

I didn't know what use a silver coin would be in this place, so I casually tossed it on the ground. Then I heard the clinking of metal. Reaching out, I found two more in a corner of the wall.

"You'd better keep them safe. They'll be very useful."

A rough voice came from across from me. I couldn't see his face clearly in the dim light.

"What use? What use is currency here?"

"Idiot, currency can be exchanged for food, and it can also be used to bribe guards. Do you think this hellhole always provides enough to eat?"

As we were talking, the stone prison gate was opened again. A fat man, accompanied by two guards, walked in.

He was round and plump, like a ball, yet his clothes were incredibly noble. He was adorned with gold and silver jewelry, and all ten of his fingers were occupied, wearing a total of ten rings.

"He's the boss here, Tahm Kench," the person opposite me whispered.

Tahm Kench waddled over with a comical gait and looked me up and down, then grinned widely.

"Zhao Xin, you performed very well today. Even though many people bet on you to win, we still made a profit. You'll have many more opportunities to appear in the future, so make the most of them. I won't treat you unfairly."

"Thank Boss Tahm Kench already!" the guard beside him seized the opportunity to flatter.

"Tahm Kench?"

I blurted out his name involuntarily. Looking at his greedy little eyes and plump physique, I suddenly thought of Tahm Kench. However, Tahm was a catfish called "Frog," while the person standing before me was clearly human.

"Oh? You know me?" A hint of ominous light flickered in Tahm Kench's eyes.

"You're the boss here, who wouldn't know you?" I made up an excuse.

"Oh, haha, yes, my name is Tahm Kench. You can call me Boss or Lord Tahm Kench."

It really was him!

This catfish monster had actually come to Noxus and started an arena. Well done! Although I didn't know what means he used to transform into this appearance, for safety reasons, I could only pretend not to know him.

After Tahm and the guards left, I chatted with the person opposite me for a while longer. He was very talkative, and thanks to him, I gained a more detailed understanding of this place.

This was a town in northeastern Noxus named Doco. The most famous thing in the entire town was this arena. People from nearby towns would even travel to watch the fights and take the opportunity to gamble.

The arena took a cut from the audience's wagers, so the more people who bet, the better. The lives of the gladiators were irrelevant; their mission was to put on an exciting fight.

"Right, we've been talking for so long, and I still don't know your name. I'm Zhao Xin, and you?"

"I'm Jeram."

After exchanging names, we went to rest.

Time was indistinguishable in this dark stone prison. Not long after I woke up, while Jeram was still snoring, I was taken out again.

Because I had won my last fight easily, today I would challenge three people simultaneously. Their master was still Uzi. He didn't have stronger slaves, so he could only rely on numbers.

It seemed he was determined to win a fortune at the arena. From Tahm's words, I learned that my bounty had increased from twenty gold coins to fifty.

There were more spectators in the stands than yesterday, and they were even more excited. Tahm's face was all smiles, showing that this was a considerable income.

These three challengers were similar to the last ones, just with a bit more coordination. They were far inferior to the soldiers of the Dauntless Vanguard, let alone the fact that I had become a Zhao Xin many times stronger than before. Even bare-handed, I could still lift a thousand pounds!

Yesterday, my mind was in a mess, and I didn't fully commit to the fight. Today was different. I stared at them with complete focus and defeated the three men in an even shorter time than yesterday.

In the end, they chose to surrender. I didn't kill them. Apart from Uzi gnashing his teeth, everyone else was cheering for me.

On the way back, I ran into Jeram. He was being taken out to fight. As I passed by him, I realized that this guy was exceptionally tall, at least two heads taller than me, and his waist was more than a circle wider!

Good heavens, he was like a giant!

"Good luck, brother."

"I hope so."