First of all, I have to be clear - I don't want to mess with the "Terror Lords", or whatever Jennook is talking about. I just wanted to sell this tattered vial to that guy, and he asked me to help him find it first. It could have been a simple thing.

But if you're me, you'll find that things don't always go your way.

My thoughts, to be exact. It doesn't matter.

Jennook is a red-bearded Freljord immigrant with a lot of money and a big appetite. Hiding from his employer, he piled up antiques and works of art in his private quarters, half of which had been illegally stolen from tombs or other museums, and he liked to sit among his collections. There are a few items that bear witness to our previous collaboration, and only on two occasions did he betray me. Well, two and a half times, because the salvage of the wreckage of the echelon Dawn was completed, and he exposed my whereabouts.

I have to admit that Jennook never delayed in paying his money, which made it impossible for me to hold a grudge against him.

"Ezreal," he said, pushing the plate aside. He had several pieces of mutton stuffed between his teeth. "Did you find it?"

He was referring to Oroa's potion. Yes, I did manage to free him from the traps in the rainforest hut near Parosa. I pulled out this vial of bone and crystal from the cloth bag. It's cold in the palm of my hand.

"This is what you want," I said, holding up the vial. "Very interesting container. Nine times out of ten, I guess it's from pre-classical Shurima. ”

The liquid inside is the amount of a tablespoon and sparkles in the moonlight. Jennook's eyes widened.

I decided to add a little more fuel and vinegar. "But I'll tell you—this isn't your average ancient slurry. This is the ancient slurry equivalent of a load-bearing pillar. The whole place collapsed. I barely managed to pick up a life and came back. ”

"Potions...... "Gunnook's voice carried a tribute I had never heard before." Just one drop is enough to quench the soul for a thousand years...... Make a mortal's skin as hard as a forbidden magic stone......"

He stretched out his greedy hands. I took it back.

"Don't worry, Jennook"

"Yes, yes, yes," he murmured, rummaging through the drawer keys. "Remuneration. We said six thousand. ”

"Plus the full approval of the guild, remember?"

I was denied admission to various places since I was a child. Bars, schools, and even a solo recital at Sona...... But the rejection of the Hides Explorers Guild was the most sad to me, after all, I had risked my life in the wilderness so many times. They are all ungrateful.

Jennook was a little sullen. "The guild doesn't particularly like you, Ezreal. Considering my past experience working with you, I don't think I can blame them. He picked up the decanter, poured himself a glass of amber wine, and took a big sip. You left me in that Noxian prisoner camp to die......"

"That's your retribution. The roots are in the Echelon Dawn. ”

"That incident is also retribution, and the root is in that map."

"Maps are also retribution, and the roots are in ...... What's the matter with you. "My teeth are rattling." Probably. ”

I'm getting a little impatient. Start preparing for a quick exit.

"Please, the guild's approval is equal to half the pay," I reminded him. "If you don't want to fulfill the agreement, I don't have to worry about selling it to someone else."

His big laugh broke the tension. "Why do you think I always look for you when I have a deal? That's because I like you. We have history, and history is always a good deal. He drank the wine from his glass. I went to the study to get the stationery. Please wait a moment. ”

How can a buyer put his remuneration in the study? This is the most old-fashioned trick. I guess he'll come out with a flintlock pistol and aim it at my pretty face.

To pass the time, I looked at his collection of antiques. I obtained some of them on his behalf. Then I saw something I'd never seen before. This is the new collection - a stone bell, about the size of a house cat. The pedestal is decorated with strange handwriting. I walked over to take a closer look.

"It's written in Ochen," Mr. Jennook said aloud. "The language of the dead is written on the other side of the veil of the mortal realm, and only those who enter the afterlife can speak."

I had a strong feeling of being hit in the back, so I quickly turned around.

Jennook wasn't holding a flintlock pistol. Instead, he held two flintlock pistols.

"I regret to inform you, Ezreal, that the guild has once again rejected your application." He took a step closer and stepped into the light. "The Terror Lords will be resurrected again. Potions will help me in my cause. ”

Terror Lord? That's great. This time I guess the most reliable......

My gauntlets are starting to recharge. Anger is a good arcane drive. Whether it's accumulating or venting, it's easy to use.

I raised my arm. Jennook fired both pistols at the same time. It's a duel between magic and bullets.

I can't guess it! Magic wins. Magic can always win.

The blunt-edged warhead heats up under the impact of the magic bomb, then turns into a plume of white smoke in the air. But you have to be extra careful with this kind of double-faced guy, so I'm charging the gauntlets again. There was a hissing sound, and then a bang, and I appeared behind Jennook. Teleporting over short distances didn't take much effort on my part, so I aimed my gauntlet at his big, dull head, and he didn't have time to turn around.

"Put down your gun, Jennook."

"It's been put away in advance."

Oh, I don't like that tone so much. I glanced to the ground. True, both pistols were at his feet.

Did I say that Jennook is very strong? He's super strong. He grabbed my gauntlet with one hand and pulled me over his shoulder with the other, slamming through his desk. That damn stone bell went to my backbone. I saw a patch of white, and sawdust, lots of sawdust.

Jennook aimed at my ribs and made up for it. He snatched Urroa's potion from my trembling hands, pulled the cork off, and poured it down on his neck.

"Your tattered gauntlets can't stop the Immortals! The potion is—"

"Imposters," I said with a sigh of relief. "But the colors are close." I held up another, unsightly vial. "This is the real potion. You just drank the venom of the sand wasp, and the bottle is a stall. ”

Jennook looked at the empty bottle, his expression like he had just drunk rancid milk. To be reasonable, rancid milk is good for the digestive system.

I stood up with a bitter face. The force of his kick was completely unnecessary, but at least he spared my face.

"If I were you, I wouldn't be too far out of the toilet these days." I added.

He threw the ornate vial on the ground, walked briskly, and suddenly groaned. The venom of the sand wasp works quickly. "You're ...... Little bastard...... I'm going to ...... you It's not over......"

I shrugged my shoulders and raised my gauntlet to shoot a magic blast at the wall. The stone walls cracked, melted, and then exploded outward. Scraps of paper flew all over the room. I picked up the stone bell and crouched down in front of Jennook's newly opened window.

"It's a pleasure to work with," I said. "This time, uh...... The renovation is considered free of charge. ”

I got out of the breach, climbed down the stone wall, and jumped onto the roof of the street. I wanted to get away from Jennook as soon as possible for a variety of reasons. It has to be said that the venom of the sand wasp is the main reason - that place will be miserable tomorrow morning.

As I ran, I took a closer look at my latest collection. Whatever its true identity was, there was no doubt that this Ouchen Stone Bell had been tainted by some kind of dark energy. As long as the Explorers' Guild receives a lot of these items, I'll be able to get approval quickly. Maybe you can prepare a banquet for me? After all, I had just single-handedly prevented the resurgence of some kind of terror lord.

At the end of the day, that's usually all that matters.