The Difference in Strength

What did it feel like for a petite girl to kick the head of a truck-sized demon flying with one foot?

Li Ke found it utterly absurd. A demon that could easily take on ten of him had been taken down so effortlessly, without seeming capable of putting up any resistance at all.

To Li Ke, this was genuinely shocking.

He knew there was a vast gap between himself and this world's top-tier fighters, but if he remembered correctly, both the Eye of Twilight Shen and the Fist of Shadow Akali were still mortals in this world.

Like Garen, Darius, Draven, Riven, and Yasuo, they were merely mortals—mortals who had mastered certain special abilities or possessed extraordinary willpower, physical resilience, and strength.

They fought through strength and skill, equipment and tools, with only a few reaching the level of the second tier.

The second tier consisted of Yordles and those who could truly be called transcendent beings.

Karma, host to the Spirit of Ionia; the Ruined King Viego; Thresh; and others like them. Their power was beyond the ordinary. They generally did not interfere too much in the affairs of regular humans, but once they did, mortals had to gather entire armies to stand against them. They could even permanently alter the landscape.

The third tier was Ryze, the various Aspects, such as Leona and Diana—those who wielded the power of gods. No, they were gods walking among the world, capable of easily accomplishing things mortals could never achieve in a lifetime.

Tearing apart the earth, cutting off the sea, facing tens of thousands of soldiers—such things were trivial to them. Before people like them, numbers had no meaning. Other than figures or treasures of the same level, there was basically no possibility of them being defeated by mortals.

The fourth tier consisted of the Aspects and Targon, those who did not dwell in this world but watched it from the depths of space. The power they controlled could easily destroy a world or shape an entire civilization and race.

And the fifth tier?

Aurelion Sol, and the will of the Void.

Strictly speaking, someone like the Fist of Shadow represented the peak of the first tier. Li Ke realized that the distance between himself and such people was so absurdly vast that, honestly, he was deeply shaken.

Even though he had undergone harsh training, and his will should have been strong.

But it was precisely because he had trained so hard and worked for it that Li Ke could truly understand the gap between them and feel shocked by it.

You could not envy something you did not understand.

"What? Scared stiff?"

The Fist of Shadow, who looked like a young girl, walked up to Li Ke. Seeing the astonishment on his face, she could not help but laugh.

This young swordsman's thoughts were not hard to guess. To her, the desire for power in Li Ke's eyes was impossible to conceal.

But in truth, it had not been as easy as he thought. If she had not used talismans to trap it, she would not have had the chance to strike at full force. She would definitely have been dragged into a hard battle.

If she had carelessly stepped into the trap it had prepared, her life would have been in danger too.

By rights, she ought to thank this young man for warning her.

"More or less. I was even thinking it would be nice if I got the chance to play the hero and save a beauty, but it looks like I was overthinking it."

Li Ke shook the sword he had drawn halfway, then sheathed it again.

"You were already very impressive. Even many disciples of the Balance Order cannot face demons of this level calmly the first time they encounter one. In truth, I did not win easily either."

The girl admired Li Ke's calm demeanor. If Li Ke had not been too old, and if there had not been absolutely no trace of magic about him, she would certainly have taken him as her disciple.

But it was a pity. Without magical power, without the ability to channel magic throughout his body, no amount of hard training would amount to anything. Bringing Li Ke into the Kinkou Order would only send him to his death.

She took a package from the carriage, tossed a talisman to Li Ke, and prepared to continue her mission.

"I will not be traveling with you from here on. I have something else to do. Drive the carriage onward by yourself. Once you reach the next town, show this to the local post station. A Kinkou disciple will meet you there. Leave this place as quickly as you can. It is no longer safe here."

This demon was exceptionally cunning, and she did not know what might happen next. It was better for Li Ke to leave quickly, or he might get caught up in the danger.

As for herself, she would later use secret arts to notify Kusho to come deal with this. This was no longer simply a matter of handling a fallen disciple; it was an imbalance between the spirit realm and the physical world. Only the Eye of Twilight could judge this matter.

All she needed to do now was keep watch on that monster and make sure it could not leave during this time.

But just as she turned to leave, Li Ke, who had been watching her, could not help speaking up.

"Um, what is your name?"

Though she was not Akali, Li Ke had still been drawn to her agile figure. More importantly, the more friends one had, the more paths one had. Li Ke also wanted to make more friends who were experts like her.

The girl froze for a moment. She had not expected to be flirted with one day. She chuckled and looked at Li Ke.

"Did your teacher never teach you not to casually say such things to a lady with a husband and child?"

Huh?

Li Ke looked at her slight, almost girlish figure in surprise. If not for the simulator's explanation and her own words, he truly could not tell that she was a woman who already had a child!

"I really couldn't tell."

With an appreciative attitude, the girl—no, the Fist of Shadow—waved at Li Ke.

"My daughter is only four years younger than you. Do not judge people by appearances, boy..."

As she said this, the Fist of Shadow could not help but speak again. She actually did not understand something. Li Ke clearly knew of the Kinkou Order and knew of the Fist of Shadow, so why did he not know her name?

It was not some secret.

"...Also, have you never heard the name Meimu?"

Li Ke thought back for a moment, only to realize that whenever people talked about the Kinkou Order, they usually mentioned Master Kusho. As for everyone else...

"No, I haven't."

Meimu narrowed her eyes and flicked her hand. A kunai instantly embedded itself in the ground between Li Ke's legs. Li Ke broke out in a cold sweat, but when he looked toward Meimu, she had already vanished without a trace.

"That woman is really petty."

Li Ke curled his lips and prepared to continue on his journey. But when he picked up the whip and started driving the carriage, he fell silent.

This horse... it would not listen!