Chapter 41: Hirana health club

Putting aside the incident where I almost went blind from the intense flash reflected off Lee Sin’s forehead, I recalled my original purpose for visiting this place and handed the steak over to Lee Sin.

He said that although they ordered the delivery, he hadn’t expected it to arrive so quickly, and offered to guide me through the monastery interior if I had time.

Normally, I would be suspicious of such an offer, but considering this was a monastery and concluding that there are no bad people among the bald, I decided to accept.

Truthfully, I was also more interested in what kind of martial arts were being trained inside the monastery.

There was a slight expectation that people who received thorough instruction, unlike a self-taught person like me, would be somewhat different.

Following Lee Sin, the interior of the monastery was different from what I had imagined, filled with open ground wider than a temple and sparring areas.

Just as I was thinking, ‘Is this really a monastery and not a gym or a Taekwondo studio?’, I saw young trainees sitting cross-legged on rocks, meditating.

Indeed, it seemed right that the beginning of training should start with mastering the mind.

Thump!

“Hey, you rascal! How many times have I told you not to doze off during meditation!”

“Geez. What am I supposed to do if I get sleepy when I close my eyes!”

“What was that? If you keep talking back, I’ll make you run laps, so watch yourself!”

Hmm… let’s pretend I didn’t see that and move on.

Anyway, the important thing wasn’t that, but that everyone here was actively moving, sharing and teaching the martial arts they knew.

As Lee Sin led me further inside, he continued with lengthy explanations about the history and architecture here, occasionally pointing to someone inside and explaining about that person.

“That person standing there holding a spear is called Guan Yu.”

“He was originally a famous master of spearmanship within Ionia, but he took an arrow to the knee during a battle with Noxian forces, so he is now in charge of guarding this place.”

“He looks like the type who would have defeated them all before the tea got cold.”

“Ah! You must have known.”

“Indeed, that anecdote is famous. Since you practice martial arts, you must be very interested in martial artists.”

“Was it real…”

There were some ridiculous happenings in between, but I was still able to look around the inside of the monastery without any trouble.

Lee Sin’s explanations weren’t overly fantastical either; he explained things simply enough for even someone who knew nothing to understand, so I learned many facts.

For example, this Hirana Monastery was invaded during the war with Noxus to prevent martial artists from participating beforehand, but Lee Sin and a spirit shaman named Udyr from the Freljord supposedly repelled them.

However, in the process, Lee Sin unleashed the power of the dragon, and as a result, the Hirana Monastery fell into ruin, and Lee Sin also lost his sight.

Since he covered his eyes, I had thought there must be some story behind it, but for it to be such a heavy burden, I couldn’t even dare to imagine how difficult it must have been for him.

I don’t know how frightening the fact of being unable to see is, but overcoming that fear and walking so normally must have taken bone-grinding effort.

After rebuilding the monastery, Udyr left for the Freljord, and Lee Sin has reportedly devoted himself continuously to training ever since.

It was because he realized it was arrogance for a mortal to attempt to fully control the dragon’s power, the limits of which are unknowable.

Actually, Lee Sin had already noticed this long ago when he paralyzed his own master, but this incident solidified his conviction.

Thus, Lee Sin currently leads those here at Hirana Monastery who, like him, wield power through communion with dragons.

It is to guide them so they do not walk the wrong path out of arrogance, like his past self.

Hearing those words, I couldn’t help but shed tears at the deeply moving story.

Anyway, according to Lee Sin, communion with them is important to draw out the dragon’s power, so I became curious about who the dragon with power beyond Lee Sin’s capacity might be.

Since the only dragon I knew was Aurelion Sol, I couldn’t properly establish a standard for dragons.

Hearing my words, Lee Sin readily told me the name of the dragon he communes with.

He said that since a name is merely one form of address, it doesn’t hold much meaning for dragons, so saying it doesn’t really matter.

“I commune with a dragon named Ao Shin.”

“It is likely one of the beings with strong power among dragons.”

“The names are similar too… Should I ask him sometime later?”

“Hm? What did you just say?”

“Eh? Ah, just talking to myself. You don’t need to worry about it.”

Ao Shin.

I should remember this name and ask Aurelion Sol directly when I meet him later.

We don’t exactly have a friendly relationship, but it’s not hostile either, so I thought he might tell me if there wasn’t any other reason not to.

Passing by the monks who appeared to be Lee Sin’s disciples, I prepared to return home.

When a baby dragon handled by one of the monks touched my body, I felt like about 2 points of stamina were drained, but it must have been just my imagination.

I expressed my gratitude to Lee Sin for showing me around the monastery.

Then Lee Sin said it was nothing.

“Likewise, it was enjoyable for me to meet a recluse who has reached a high state after a long time.”

“You must surely be doing delivery work due to some circumstances.”

“When the time comes, feel free to visit this Hirana Monastery anytime.”

“We will always keep the doors open and wait.”

Then he bowed his head to me and went back inside the monastery.

It seemed like he had some grand misunderstanding, and I tried to say it was different, but he disappeared quickly before I had the chance.

As if he had used some kind of movement skill, Lee Sin vanished suddenly. Leaving him behind, I swallowed my uncomfortable feeling and descended the mountain.

“Master, who exactly was that person just now?”

“I have never seen a baby dragon cling to someone like that other than us.”

“Rest assured.”

“Feeling it while talking directly with her, I could confirm that while she harbors vast power within her body, she has not abandoned the human heart.”

As Mama descended the mountain, Lee Sin was conversing with one of his disciples, the Dragon’s Eye.

“When I first met her, I approached her feeling the strong connection to a dragon within her body.”

“I thought she had visited here with some purpose, but it seems she merely came for an inspection.”

“In that case, the dragon she communes with is…”

“There is no doubt.”

“The Dragon of Creation left behind in ancient records, Aurelion Sol.”

Indeed, it remains to be seen where she will use that power.

For the sake of Ionia, and for the sake of this Runeterra.

“Achoo!”

“What’s this, is someone talking about me?”