Rhodes often describes himself as a goal-oriented, well-organized person with a meticulous plan – and while it sounds narcissistic, it's true.

Rhodes' goal now is to go home, to the Blue Star.

And in Valoran, there is a magical place called Acacia - this is where the endless void is connected, and where Rhodes can return home.

So in order to return home, Rhodes made a series of plans so that he could return to the Blue Star through Acacia.

But Acacia's guys are a bit terrifying in combat, and the Endless Void Ghost knows what kind of monsters there will be, Void Fear, Void Marauders and the like are just a drop in the ocean of the Endless Void, and Rhodes must be prepared if he wants to go to Acacia.

A rash move is purely looking for death, Rhodes is a mage, not a warrior who is always ready to fall on the way to the charge.

So in order to get through Acacia, Rhodes' top priority is to increase his strength.

So the question is, how should a Dharma Master improve his strength?

Monster farming upgrades?

Come on, Rod doesn't have its own system, and he can't add points!

Studying magic?

It worked, but it was too slow, and Rhodes itself was in a bottleneck.

After thinking about it, Rhodes found that the most direct way to improve his strength was to get a few powerful pieces of equipment - at least find a staff that fits.

So, the question comes to money.

The promotion of a mage requires a lot of resources, whether it is a spell experiment or magic equipment, these require a lot of gold!

On the black market in Zaun, Rhodes had the pleasure of seeing an auction of Hex's revolver, which sold for 10,000 gold Hex—partly because the black market was always expensive, but it was telling.

The Hex Revolver is just a modest piece of mage equipment!

According to Rod's understanding, most of those god costumes are unique, and all of them have no price.

Don't look at Violet's Dream Day by Day, but if Rhodes wants to gather enough of the six gods to go to Acacia, it is still unrealistic.

So Rod chose a crazy approach.

Take Zaun and then feed yourself with the whole Zaun!

It's the heart of Valoran, the main thoroughfare, the heart of the canal that connects the Endless Sea to the Sea of Watch!

As long as you master Zu'an, you will be able to get a steady stream of gold!

What, you say it's hard to manage a city?

Rhodes said that there is no big problem, these things can be left to professionals, and it is good to be a patron saint and leader himself!

Of course, this plan may sound tempting, but it can be quite difficult to execute.

Who can't see the interests of Zaun? Who wouldn't want to get involved?

Where does the surplus value go to the people of Zu'an, who work in highly polluted environments all day long, often destitute?

Piltover is sucking blood, the alchemy baron is the emperor of the soil, the nails of Ionia, Noxus, and Demacia are probing for information, countless adventurers and careerists are chasing profit like flies, and only the Zaun Naughty Boy is protecting the bottom line here......

Isn't the chaotic but orderly Zu'an now the result of these forces compromising with each other?

And if Rod wants to control Zuan, it means clearing all the obstacles above.

Compared to the glamorous Piltover, Zaun is undoubtedly a real mixed place, a powder keg that moves the whole body!

For Rod, acting rashly will only allow this powder keg to be detonated and blow himself to pieces.

So, in order to accomplish his plans, Rhodes needed some friends – or rather, helpers.

……………………

When Rod's Kinhex shines, Ike quickly arrives at Upper Zuan.

To be honest, Ike doesn't have a good impression of Zuan either......

In Ike's view, Upper Zuan is a group of people who grovel to please Piltover, who have lost the freedom that Zuan admires, clinging to them without discipline or limits, and even using their former people as new targets for exploitation.

In a sense, Ike was right.

Upper Zaun is a part of Zaun, but it's actually the border between Piltover and Zaun, and most of the people here really want to leave Zaum to live in Pyg.

Ike is entitled to look down on them - in the face of the impoverished Zaun, Ike tries to maintain order as much as possible, and is great compared to those who leave Zaun for a better life.

In the eyes of many people, Ike is a young man with a second middle school illness - he could have a better life, but he and the gangsters stick to the tattered and dirty Zuan.

But in reality, Ike is Zaun's conscience - behind the mohican's hairstyle and cynical smile, there is the most wordless insistence.

How can a guy who takes advantage of the staggered time and tries countless times and does not give up, how can he be a simple secondary 2 youth?

If Ike is placed in a hot-blooded anime, he is the protagonist properly, right?

And Rhodes made Ekra into the plan an ally, and it was his love for Zaun that he valued.

As long as he can make Zuan better and better, then Ike and Zuan Mitong are definitely their own people!

Due to Violet Dream's fame, Ike quickly found the tavern.

Contrary to Ike's expectations, the décor of such a famous tavern was surprisingly plain - or rather shabby.

And the interesting thing is that this shabby makes Ike's sense of Rhodes directly raise a notch!

Seek truth from facts, don't engage in those useless superficial efforts, this is what Zuan should be!

(Unfortunately, Ike had no idea that Rod's only goal in doing this was to save money...... ）

Pushing open the tavern door, Ike went straight to the bar and woke up the sleeping Rhodes.

"Hey, mage, I'm coming—"

"Oh?" Rhodes looked up and rubbed his eyes, "Well, a little earlier than I thought, did the Pygians fix their Hex pressure transporter lately?" ”

"Haha, you guessed wrong!" Looking at Rode, who was still dazed, Ike showed a smug expression, "The Hex-pressure transporter is as slow as ever, but I'm not going to stay on the transporter obediently!" ”

Rod blinked, then it dawned on him.

It turns out that Ike arrived so quickly by jumping between the Hex pressure transporters!

"Well, it looks like you're in a bit impatient." Looking at the triumphant Ike, Rhodes showed a smile that had succeeded in his plan, "It's a great honor for me that the famous Time Assassin behaved like an acute child in order to find me!" ”

"Uh......"

Ike stammered, and the flaunting of his skills suddenly turned into a leak of information, which was really unacceptable, this mage was just as insidious as he was in battle!

Obviously there is nothing, but he seems to be a head shorter.

Looking at the embarrassed Ike, the smile on Rod's face became more and more vicious.

Finally, when Ike was about to break into annoyance, Rod finally stopped his wicked smile.

"So, room one, please wait a minute, this matter also involves a few of my friends."

Just as Ike muttered and turned to leave the bar, the Violet Dream door was pushed open again.

"W-ha! My dear patron, I heard that you have something important to do with me? Tell me about it! ”

————————

The Hexs Pressure Conveyor is a vertical pressure lift device that connects Zaun to Piltover, similar to an elevator, but the elevator shaft is exposed.

It costs money to ride the Hex's pressure transporter, but Zaun's bastards often cling to the outside or on top of the press car for a ride, and Ike is a master at it.

Rhodes is a man who likes to use his brain, and so do the people around Rhodes, and there are no (or very few) characters in this book who have IQs off the line.

Also, guess who the new guy is?