Ahri raised her hand, and a firefly drifted down to perch on her curved fingertip. She narrowed her eyes slightly and smiled.
"Child, do you see this tiny firefly on my fingertip? It isn't a true soul—it's a fragment that naturally split off after a powerful soul dispersed."
"Each one carries memories from some existence's life. They're the final proof that they once walked through the material realm… even if the living can't see them, and don't even know this is how it works."
"When living beings in the material realm die, the force of nature strikes the crack between the two worlds. Through that fissure, their souls are carried here. After a period of nurturing, they form spirit-bodies."
"But newly formed spirit-bodies can't fully reclaim their consciousness yet. They forget who they are, and they forget what they were meant to do. And if they're left to wander lost in this world for too long, they'll slowly be stained by the resentment here… and they'll become Akana."
"Of course, I'm not insulting the Akana," she added quickly, smiling. "Don't misunderstand."
"Getting a second life, clinging too tightly to obsession… it's not a good thing."
Ahri lifted her hand higher and pursed her lips, blowing the firefly away. Her rosy sleeves fluttered in the breeze as she continued, still smiling sweetly.
"As for me… my name is Ahri. I'm also a soul in this world—but I'm not quite like them, and I'm not quite like you either."
"I'm a soul born naturally within this realm. This world gave me a responsibility, and my duty is to lead lost souls toward the right path—to guide them, to help them find what they truly want. To find a way to exist in this world… or to leave it."
"So, child… you already left this world. Why did you come back?"
Ahri lifted both hands, pointed her index fingers at her own eyes, then pointed at Logan, smiling as she spoke.
"I can tell you have endless vitality. You're healthy. You don't belong here. You came here by your own will… didn't you?"
Her voice was truly that of a mature, confident woman—soft, warm, and gentle. Paired with that constant smiling expression, her sense of approachability was almost overwhelming.
Logan really did have a good impression of Ahri. Back when he played League, she was one of his favorite champions.
Every time someone talked trash about Ahri "tickling people to death," Logan would jump in and argue on her behalf.
But even so, Logan stayed wary. He was afraid that if he said the wrong thing, he'd draw Ahri's attention in the wrong way. Yet looking at her expression, he blurted out without thinking:
"I came here to get stronger."
The moment the words left his mouth, Logan's expression turned awkward.
It's not like he got hit by Ahri's Charm or anything.
So why couldn't he keep his mouth under control?
What Logan didn't know was that this was part of Ahri's power. As the spirit who "saves" and guides this realm, Ahri's affinity was naturally maxed out—anyone who saw her would feel goodwill toward her, even deities aligned with the Akana.
That was also why—even though her domain was Blossom Valley—she could move freely anywhere within the Spirit Blossom realm.
"Oooh~"
Ahri drew out the sound, one hand on her hip. Her long, beautiful legs extended beneath her short skirt as she stepped forward.
"Stronger? Hmm… it's true. Your soul is stronger than the last time I saw you." She held her thumb and index finger a tiny distance apart, making a little "just a bit" pinch gesture, her foxlike eyes smiling. "Just a liiiiittle."
Logan's mouth twitched, and he subtly leaned back. Ahri's charm was completely effortless—like she was born with it. But what was most dangerous wasn't even the allure itself.
It was that hint of innocence and purity she showed while radiating that allure.
Her seduction wasn't sharp, not aggressive, not something she tried to show off. It was lazy, soft, unforced—without any edge at all.
And that kind was lethal.
Because it hit men right where it hurt.
"You don't need to be afraid of me," Ahri said gently. "I don't care about your secrets, and I won't stop you from getting stronger here—so long as you don't harm the souls here, and so long as you don't lose yourself."
Ahri stretched languidly, then lowered her body—and turned back into a little fox. She scratched her neck with a hind leg, then looked up at Logan.
"But you need to be careful. If Thresh or Cassiopeia discover you, they won't be as easy to talk to as I am. Your soul is truly fascinating… it's delightful."
Logan nodded, committing her warning to memory. Then he checked the time—he only had thirty seconds left in the Spirit Blossom realm.
"Huh? Why is your soul starting to scatter?" Ahri noticed it too. Just like Thresh had, she immediately sensed Logan's abnormality. Her fluffy white tail held high, she circled him elegantly. Her small, sharp face came close, and her dark little nose even sniffed him twice.
"You're leaving, aren't you? Wow~ You can come and go from this world whenever you want—something like that is beyond even me. You really are fascinating. Hey, child… you still haven't told me your name."
"My name is Logan. I'm from Zaun."
"Zaun?" Ahri tilted her head. "Where is that?"
"A city across the sea from Ionia."
"You're not Ionian?" Ahri sounded genuinely surprised.
Spirit Blossom and Ionia were closely linked—because of Ionia's unique spirit magic and the way that land overflowed with it, this spiritual realm could connect to Runeterra at all.
And because of that… even though Ahri was a powerful deity, she was also, in some ways, sheltered—someone who didn't know much about the outside world.
"I'm not."
"That's so interesting…" Ahri said softly. "If I could, I'd like to go outside and see it too."
Logan's eyebrows lifted. He spoke quickly.
"Then if there's a chance… I'll take you out there?"
"Me?" Ahri blinked, then shook her head. She didn't laugh at Logan for being out of his depth—her voice only turned gentler.
"Thank you for the thought. But this world won't allow me to leave. It still needs me."
"That might not be true forever," Logan said with a grin.
He remembered clearly: in the "main character favorability" system, once a bond reached life-and-death levels—at 1200 favorability—you could request combat assistance from that character.
Which meant something like a summon.
If that was really how it worked, Logan might actually be able to bring Ahri to Zaun one day.
And if he pulled that off…
Wouldn't he basically become the king of the Twin Cities on the spot?
Ahri was a genuine, extremely powerful demigod.
But then—
Logan looked at Ahri's favorability sitting at one point, and he almost couldn't hold his expression together.
And just then, the system prompt sounded.
[Ahri's favorability toward you +1]
"Then it's a promise~" Ahri didn't argue anymore. She lifted a paw and pressed it against Logan's pant leg.
Another point.
"My time's up, Ahri. See you next time."
With the final three seconds ticking down, Logan looked at her and said it.
————
[This Descend has ended!]
[Calculating exploration value…]
[Accumulated rewards incoming]
[Settling this Descend's rewards —
Settlement as follows:]
//Check out my P@tre0n for 10 extra free chapters //[email protected]/Razeil0810