Read up to 30 chapters ahead on Patreon - patreon.com/Light_lord
-----
"An interesting guess. According to the records of the Empire, the land of Zaun was indeed conquered by Shurima in its heyday, but that was nearly a thousand years ago," Ryan replied thoughtfully after listening to Seraphine's description.
In its prime, Shurima had almost unified the entire continent of Runeterra with the help of the legendary Ascended Magus Xerath.
"I need proof; otherwise, the Explorers' Guild won't acknowledge it," Ezreal chimed in.
"But imagine—if we uncover traces of Shurima and publicize the discovery, I'll finally secure my place in the Explorers' Guild and go down in history as Piltover's greatest adventurer."
"What's the Explorers' Guild?" Ekko asked, looking puzzled.
Ignoring the latter half of Ezreal's boast, Ekko couldn't help but compare him to Piltover's Councillor Talis.
Even if Ekko sided with Zaun, he had to admit this guy wasn't anywhere near his league.
"It's a hobby club for explorers looking for safety in numbers," Seraphine teased with a smirk.
"The Academy funds it, but just a few days ago, their base was wrecked by some giant mechanical dragon."
"Doesn't sound that impressive," Ekko replied bluntly.
After the Hextech Drake attacked Silco, it spiraled out of control, destroying parts of the southern district.
Ekko suspected the Explorers' Guild's headquarters had been collateral damage during the chaos.
Ezreal, despite being restrained, nearly jumped at the mention of the guild.
"The Explorers' Guild is the most prestigious organization in Piltover! It's the dream of every explorer to join!"
"But its fame is limited to Piltover," Ryan interjected with a faint smile.
"I've traveled extensively and haven't heard of it anywhere else."
Ezreal fell silent, visibly deflated. Seeing this, Ryan chuckled.
"Why not create an organization yourself? The greatest expedition guilds are built by the most daring and resourceful explorers."
The greatest explorer ever!
Ezreal's eyes lit up at the suggestion, and he nearly broke free of Ekko's grip.
"You're right! I should be the chairman—or no, I should just start my guild!"
"Do you have the funds?" Seraphine asked slyly, grinning.
"Setting up a guild costs a fortune."
"Ugh, can you not read my mind?" Ezreal groaned, slumping in defeat.
"Why can't I just dream for a moment?"
"I might be willing to invest," Ryan said smoothly, his magnetic voice cutting through Ezreal's grumbling.
"That is—if you prove yourself during this expedition."
Ezreal's eyes widened with excitement.
Ryan's opulent robes hinted at wealth and power far beyond anything Ezreal could imagine.
His poised demeanor was more refined than even Piltover's nobility.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's get going—I'm fully prepared!" Ezreal exclaimed, his face lighting up with urgency.
In his mind, anyone willing to fund his dream was a friend for life.
"Ekko, let him go. Viktor is looking for you about your Wildfire board upgrade," Ryan instructed.
Ekko hesitated but eventually nodded. He respected Ryan.
Rumor had it that Ryan had once mentored Viktor, who had returned to Zaun to pursue his own path of ascension.
Anyone who stood for Zaun earned Ekko's respect.
"Understood, sir. I'll head over now."
Before leaving, Ekko tossed Ezreal the armguard he had confiscated.
"Don't make me regret this, Piltie. If I hear about you causing trouble, I'll find you."
"Relax, I'm only here to explore!" Ezreal grinned, slipping the armguard back on.
As Ekko walked off, Ryan watched the group with a knowing smile.
Whatever lay ahead, this expedition would be far more interesting than any of them anticipated.
Ezreal gazed at the recovered armguard in his hands with an expression of pure joy and reverence.
"That armguard," Ryan remarked calmly, his sharp eyes briefly scanning the artifact.
"It seems you're more capable than you let on."
"This is my treasure," Ezreal said, his grin widening.
"I named it the Explorer's Armguard. Do you know its origin, sir?"
Hearing Ryan's subtle praise, Ezreal puffed up his chest, eager to explain.
"That piece of equipment once belonging to an Ascended," Ryan interrupted, his voice even but confident.
"It converts biological energy into arcane energy—what we now call magical energy."
Ezreal's jaw dropped slightly as Ryan continued.
"I've seen similar relics in my collection back at the castle. Gadgets like this were often distributed as rewards for military achievements during Shurima's golden age."
After a moment, Ezreal's demeanor turned more serious.
"I discovered a fissure deep in Zaun. The mining district uncovered a bottomless rift—there must be more treasures buried there."
"Lead the way," Ryan said with a slight nod.
"Good! You're the sponsor, so you've got the final say," Ezreal agreed, walking ahead.
"But don't you need to prepare? You don't seem to have any equipment with you."
Ezreal arched his bag over his shoulder, his face filled with pride.
It held his prized essentials: premium pomade to keep his hairstyle flawless and some top-tier exploration gear courtesy of his generous uncle.
"You don't need to worry," Seraphine chimed in with a teasing smile.
"Master's strong enough to turn Zaun upside down with just one hand."
"Really now…" Ezreal laughed awkwardly, reluctant to openly doubt the man funding his dream.
Still, turn Zaun upside down? That seemed far-fetched—even for the gods of Mount Targon.
Ryan carried an air similar to that of the Targonian Aspects, but not quite the same.
Ezreal brushed it off, chalking up the odd sensation to exhaustion—or perhaps Ekko roughing him up earlier had scrambled his senses.
As they walked, Seraphine and Orianna whispered behind the group, their voices too faint to discern.
Ezreal took the lead, raising his armguard for emphasis as he began to regale them with his exploits.
"This armguard is my greatest find! I retrieved it from the tomb of Ne'Zuk. Do you know who that is? A tyrant from Shurima's history, said to possess unparalleled magical power. He could teleport from Shurima to Piltover in an instant!"
"Ne'Zuk…" Ryan mused aloud.
"He's a fascinating figure in Shurima's history. There's a record of him using magic to lift a fortress named Monolith into the sky. His power and ingenuity were extraordinary."
Ezreal's enthusiasm faltered for a moment.
"Uh… yes! That's exactly right! A very powerful mage," he said hastily, silently cursing Ryan for knowing more than he, the so-called expert, did.
"Ne'Zuk's tomb was no joke, though," Ezreal continued, eager to shift the focus back to himself.
"The moment I picked up this armguard, the entire tomb came alive, trying to trap me underground. But I was prepared—my skill and experience got me out in one piece."
He recounted the story with exaggerated flair, gesturing dramatically to emphasize the danger.
The memory of that harrowing escape still made his heart race, though he wouldn't admit how close he'd come to death.
"Ascended relics are intriguing," Ryan said, his tone thoughtful.
"Many seem to have been tampered with… perhaps altered by others over time."
"That just proves how strong I am!" Ezreal declared, puffing out his chest.
Ryan walked behind him, a faint smile playing on his lips.
His gaze briefly lingered on the armguard.
According to certain records from the Immortal Bastion, artifacts created by the Ascended often carried hidden dangers.
Some were rumored to be linked to creatures called Darkin, who were said to corrupt anyone who wielded them.
Though the Darkin had vanished from history nearly a thousand years ago, it was possible they still lurked within these relics, waiting to awaken.
Ryan dismissed the thought. His own collection of Ascended artifacts had shown no signs of corruption, so perhaps the Darkin had truly been eradicated.
"It's here! It's here!" Ezreal suddenly shouted, pointing ahead with excitement.