People in the Alliance, Time Management Master

“Very good. There are very few void creatures left. Go back on your own; you won’t be in any danger.” Her voice was also hoarse, like that of a monster.

However, Mu Bai knew very well what a captivating girl was hidden beneath that purple symbiote.

Both her appearance and the soul beneath her skin are breathtakingly beautiful.

Kai'Sa is a true angel.

"And what about you, Miss Kai'Sa?" Mu Bai asked. "The Void's offensive is over now, aren't you going back?"

Kasha shook her head slightly and said, "I still need to check and clean up the battlefield to prevent any stragglers from sneaking into the shelter."

"That sounds really difficult."

"Yeah, it's alright."

"Well then... farewell, Miss Kasha. I look forward to seeing you again. Take care on your journey."

"Hmm." Kasha responded indifferently and quickly left, her back view showing a hint of panic.

She didn't understand why the man she had rescued wasn't afraid of her and even acted like they were old friends, sticking close to her.

Would anyone be unafraid of void monsters? Would anyone call a monster "Miss"?

Madman, or fool?

She couldn't understand it, but she instinctively felt panicked—something that shouldn't be the case for a hunter, but emotions are often hard to control.

In order to stabilize her mindset and the situation, she chose to escape.

It's shameful, but it works.

"They're really in a hurry..." Mu Bai watched the beautiful figure gradually disappear into the distance and shrugged helplessly.

Growing up at the boundary between the void and the material world, without a single friend, and constantly being chased and beaten like a monster... it's normal to have such a cautious, timid, and even cowardly withdrawn personality.

No rush, there will always be opportunities to curry favor with powerful figures.

Now, there are more important things to do.

Mu Bai casually found a flat rock to sit on, then cautiously looked around to make sure no one was nearby before reaching into his pocket to rummage around.

The system's rewards weren't just for the omens of theft; there was another major bonus...

World Rune: Inspiration.

"This thing... it's like poison coated with chocolate, both tempting and dangerous." Mu Bai carefully examined the blue stone in his hand, marveling at it.

Each World Rune is incredibly precious. Ryze spent years collecting only four: Domination, Precision, Resolve, and Sorcery. Yet, he inexplicably obtained the fifth one.

Well, it's best to hand it over to the government as soon as possible; keeping this thing is too dangerous...

Brand is a prime example – if he's not careful and is bewitched by the runes, he can instantly turn into a monster who only knows how to kill.

Speaking of which... the Sanctuary's energy barrier is maintained by the World Rune, so Ryze would probably be happy to accept this rune.

If you're lucky, you might be able to live a life of comfort and ease by handing over this rune.

Having made up his mind, Mu Bai dusted off his trousers and stood up, suddenly feeling that everything in front of him had become brighter.

Bandle City belongs neither to the material world nor the spiritual realm, nor is it part of the void; it is a true paradise.

The mountains and rivers here are beautiful and the air is fresh. Even the erosion of the void has not made this place too messy... for now.

The azure sky was as vibrant as irises, and unlike the bright sunshine outside, it was not scorching hot, making for a pleasant climate.

No wonder it's said that humans who accidentally wander into Bandle City never want to leave.

"It's time to head into town to find Ryze."

Mu Bai took a deep breath of the sweet air, strode forward, and walked through the many obstacles in the suburbs, heading straight for the city established by the Yordles.

Before he could even get close to the city wall, a sudden burst of high temperature emanated from his hidden pocket, followed by an intense burning sensation.

It felt like something was burning in my pocket.

Mu Bai was shocked and quickly tore open his clothes to check the situation.

The next moment, he saw the world rune emitting a strong light, and the light blue markings on its surface quickly turned into a red color symbolizing high temperature.

What happened to your kidneys?

The unbearable temperature made Mu Bai wince in pain. He instinctively tried to tear off the Enlightenment Rune stuck to his chest, only to find that he couldn't remove it at all.

To make matters worse, he discovered that the runes were "drilling" into his flesh.

Like a parasite craving flesh and blood.

The bizarre sight and the increasingly terrifying heat terrified him, but he had no idea what to do and could only watch helplessly as the stone slowly seeped into his body.

"It feels numb when I pinch it..." Mu Bai gritted his teeth, forcing his gradually fading consciousness to clear up a little.

He could clearly feel that the rune was constantly impacting his will.

Fortunately, this painful process did not last too long.

About half a minute later, the system notification sounded in his mind again:

[[Rune Inspiration] Fusion Successful]

[Physical Enhancement: Tier 1]

[Magic Enhancement: Tier 1]

Once the notification sound faded away, the runes returned to normal and stopped getting hot.

Mu Bai collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, and it took him a while to recover.

The runes have seeped into my body...

But judging from the system's description... it doesn't seem like a bad thing?

Mu Bai swallowed hard, picked up a small stone from beside him, and threw it into the distance, just to try it out.

With a sound like a sword being swung forcefully through the air, the pebble vanished from sight in an instant.

This power isn't exactly immense; there are quite a few heroes in Runeterra who can reach this level.

But for an ordinary person... it's outrageous.

"This..." Mu Bai couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement.

Oh, right, besides physical enhancement, there's also magical enhancement!

That warm feeling in my abdomen, is that the legendary magic...?

Wow, does that mean we can make fireballs with our hands from now on?

Tears!

After a moment of stunned silence, Mu Bai composed himself and headed back towards the city, his steps much lighter and faster than before.

Chapter Three: The theft successful! Soraka's...

Bandle City is not actually a city, but a world.

A strange magical world that transcends the material realm.

In Bandle City, any race other than a Yordle will feel all their senses enhanced.

Everything in the city is vibrant with color, and the taste of the food and water is intoxicating—once tasted, it's unforgettable. Here, the sun shines brightly, the spring water flows endlessly, and every plant bears abundant fruit.

Even though the Void destroyed the entire Runeterra, Bandle City still felt like a paradise.

Mu Bai skillfully navigated the streets, observing the hidden frost and undercurrents beneath the glitz and glamour.

Because of the barrier's protection, the city was not destroyed by the void, and one after another, the exquisite buildings still stand here, magnificent and splendid.

But the residents inside the city are different.

Void creatures launched attacks every now and then, blocking the city gates. The residents inside the city had no choice but to fight back, resulting in heavy casualties over time.

In addition, Bandle City has taken in survivors from all over the world, leading to a severe shortage of necessities such as food and a high crime rate within the city.

"With internal and external troubles reaching this point, how long can this last refuge hold out..."

Mu Bai shook his head and sighed, quickening his pace as he walked toward the most magnificent building in the center of the city—that was where Ryze, Zilean, and other leaders of Sanctuary handled affairs, and where the four World Runes were also hidden.

Although the rune had already been integrated into his body and, according to the system description, it didn't seem to have any negative effects, Mu Bai still planned to talk to Ryze about the Inspiration Rune.

Each rune plays a vital role in the Sanctuary, and keeping it all to oneself is clearly not a wise choice.

If the shelter is breached by the void, what good will it do if I have runes fused into my body?

In the apocalypse, no one can remain unscathed.

Amidst his rambling thoughts, Mu Bai arrived.

The last hope of Bandle City—the Temple of Runes.

He touched his empty, hungry stomach, quickly walked up the curved steps, and arrived at the front of the hall.

Two guards stood ready at the entrance. Both were muscular and clad in heavy black armor, each holding a massive shield in one hand and a serrated meat axe in the other.

Clearly, these two are not Yordles, but elite warriors selected through a rigorous process. Perhaps they are Ionians who revere ancient martial arts, or Noxians who value strength above all else?

"Please show your pass." Upon seeing Mu Bai, a guard immediately put down his giant axe and blocked his way.

The Hall of Runes contains the secret treasures of the entire Runeterra, and naturally, unauthorized personnel are not allowed to enter at will.

"I don't have a pass."

As an ordinary recruit, Mu Bai naturally didn't have any of those fancy items. He could only pull out an ID tag given to him by his squad leader from his worn-out coat and hand it over.

"Mu Bai, a member of the 7th Squad of the 3rd Infantry Regiment in the western suburbs, has an urgent matter to report."

The guard subconsciously raised an eyebrow the moment he saw the wooden identification tag. The movement was subtle, but noticeable.

"Sorry, you cannot enter without a pass."

"I really have something very important and urgent." Mu Bai stepped forward half a step towards the axe handle. "It's about runes..."

"Sorry, buddy. You know, everyone without a pass says that... Please don't make things difficult for us."

The guard tried to be as polite as possible, but his actions and attitude remained as tough as ever.

This is their duty.